[2020 National Audit] Cho Hae-jin: "Lee Soo-hyuk, as Ambassador to the US, should stop talking nonsense like sleep-talking"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Rep. Cho Hae-jin of the People Power Party criticized Ambassador Lee Soo-hyuk to the United States for his remarks during the National Assembly audit, saying, "Someone at the level of the ambassador to the U.S. should stop talking nonsense like sleep-talking."

On the 13th, Rep. Cho said on Facebook, "What Korea chose 70 years ago was not the country called the United States, but the system of liberal democracy and market economy."

Earlier, Ambassador Lee stated at the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee audit, "Korea did not choose the United States 70 years ago to continue choosing the U.S. for the next 70 years." In response, the U.S. State Department issued a statement saying, "We are very proud of the 70-year history of the Korea-U.S. alliance and everything the alliance has achieved for peace and prosperity in the region."

Rep. Cho pointed out, "(The result of Korea's choice) is the Korea-U.S. alliance," adding, "The U.S. State Department's statement when Ambassador Lee's remarks became controversial was meant in that sense."

He said, "Rejecting the one-party communist dictatorship and state-planned economy 70 years ago and choosing liberal democracy and a market economy was an outstanding decision that will be remembered in history. Thanks to that great decision, the Republic of Korea has achieved glorious accomplishments today." He added, "The ambassador said that the basis of our choice lies in national interest, but until now, Korea's greatest national interest has been the liberal democratic market economy system, and the continued prosperity of Korea depends on how well this system is nurtured."

He continued, "Since liberal democracy and the market economy are universal human values, they are our choice whose essence cannot change even after 700 years, not just 70 years." He criticized, "The ambassador has caused unnecessary controversy with ambiguous expressions that seem unclear in meaning and appear to lack conceptual clarity, causing serious harm to national interests."

Rep. Cho advised, "Someone at the level of the Republic of Korea's ambassador to the U.S. should stop making confusing, sleep-talking remarks. If the knowledge and qualifications are not sufficient for the position, it is the duty of a citizen to decline the post for the sake of the national interest of the Republic of Korea, as he himself said."

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