Responsibility Dispute Over Gwanghwamun Rally... Ruling Party "United Party Responsible" vs Opposition "Stop Childish Politics"

Heated Responsibility Dispute Over Gwanghwamun Rally
Ruling Party: "United Future Party Encouraged, Not Just Neglected" vs Opposition: "No Relation at All"
Jeon Kwang-hoon Tests Positive for COVID-19... Government and Seoul City File Charges

On the afternoon of the 15th, Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church is speaking at a rally condemning the government and ruling party held in front of Donghwa Duty Free Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] The ruling and opposition parties continue to clash over the Seoul Gwanghwamun rally held on August 15, Liberation Day, led by conservative groups. The ruling party raised the 'opposition party responsibility theory,' claiming that the opposition party effectively encouraged the large-scale rally. On the other hand, the opposition party countered that such responsibility claims are inappropriate and that the ruling party is ignoring public sentiment and shifting blame, intensifying the responsibility dispute.

Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, urged at the Democratic Party's floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 18th, "Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church must clearly take legal and moral responsibility for obstructing quarantine measures and spreading the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19)." He also called on the United Future Party to "apologize to the people for effectively condoning the August 15 rally."

Kim criticized, "I urge the United Future Party to take responsible measures against United Future Party lawmaker Hong Moon-pyo and former lawmakers Kim Jin-tae and Min Kyung-wook, who attended the Gwanghwamun rally. Strict responsibility must be imposed on party members who defended Pastor Jeon. The United Future Party should have recognized the possibility of attendance this time as well and actively taken measures to prohibit attendance."

He added, "I feel dismayed that unreasonable agitation and divisive rhetoric against the people by Pastor Jeon are emerging from the United Future Party."

Seol Hoon, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, also raised his voice of criticism, saying, "I think the United Future Party not only overlooked the Gwanghwamun rally but rather encouraged it."

On the same day, Seol emphasized on BBS Buddhist Broadcasting's 'Park Kyung-soo's Morning Journal,' "They really need to apologize to the people. If the United Future Party does not come forward with the determination to take responsibility for neglecting this situation, it will be a big problem."

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Jong-min also strongly criticized on KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strong Current Affairs,' saying, "Regardless of party lines, the United Future Party should sternly point out the problems with Pastor Jeon and draw a line. They should stop following rallies all the time." He added, "Pastor Jeon's holding of rallies that massively spread COVID-19 is a security issue threatening the lives of the people, and it is really wrong that the United Future Party says nothing about this."

Another lawmaker from the same party, Kang Byung-won, pointed out on his Facebook post on the 17th, "The background that allowed the far-right Protestant group, which the majority of the people do not support, to roam freely was the United Future Party's tolerance, acquiescence, and instigation." He criticized, "The reality is that the United Future Party is still avoiding responsible answers even at this moment."

Kang sarcastically added, "One thing that must be recorded is the consistent behavior of the United Future Party, which has made remarkable efforts to meet with Jeon Gwang-hoon continuously to gain his political influence in order to obtain the meager support of the far-right Protestant group."

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the United Future Party. The photo shows Chairman Kim speaking at an online training session for local council members held on the afternoon of the 18th at the United Future Party Daegu City Party Office in Suseong-gu, Daegu. Photo by Yonhap News

In response to the Democratic Party's continuous criticism by raising the 'opposition party responsibility theory,' the United Future Party distanced itself, saying it has no relation with Pastor Jeon.

Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the United Future Party, stated in a commentary on the 18th, "We express serious concern about Pastor Jeon," adding, "Pastor Jeon took unacceptable actions that threatened the safety of the community by not cooperating with the government's quarantine policies. Especially, his actions after testing positive are incomprehensible."

She continued, "He deserves criticism, and appropriate measures should follow for failing to act responsibly in a responsible position. However, why politicize the situation where the lives of the people are threatened by COVID-19 and the entire nation is enduring suffering?"

Kim criticized, "The ruling party refuses to acknowledge its lax response, such as encouraging massive special travel periods and issuing discount coupons just before the holiday, and instead blames the people. Many people who gathered over the weekend came to appeal to the government and ruling party, not to see Pastor Jeon. It makes one curious about the ruling party's political intention to exclude themselves and instead blame the people."

She added, "The United Future Party has no relation with Pastor Jeon. We have never been together. Trying hard to link us to something absurd only looks pitiful. If you have time to blame others, I recommend you pay more attention to quarantine measures. Haven't you done enough of the old practice of using even public health as political engineering?"

Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman of the United Future Party, also criticized the Democratic Party in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on the same day, saying, "It seems they keep making unnecessary remarks to the United Future Party to politically exploit the situation, but I hope they stop such childish politics."

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, drew a line on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' saying, "The message should be taken to heart by the ruling party," but added, "From a quarantine perspective, the Gwanghwamun rally was wrong and should not have happened."

Meanwhile, Pastor Jeon was reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 on the 17th.

According to Seoul City and Seongbuk District on the day, Pastor Jeon underwent a COVID-19 test at Yangji Hospital in Gwanak District, Seoul, along with his assistant pastor, and was confirmed positive in the afternoon of the same day. It was also reported that Pastor Jeon's wife, Seo, and his secretary tested positive.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) and Seoul City filed a complaint against Pastor Jeon on the 16th. The CDSCH stated in a press release that "Pastor Jeon will be reported on charges of violating self-quarantine measures and obstructing epidemiological investigations by omitting and concealing the list of investigation targets."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.