Baek Hyun-jin's "Gwitae Regime" Remark, Reported 'Democratic Party Gwitae Controversy' During Anchor Days 7 Years Ago

2013 Hong Ik-pyo, Democratic Party Floor Spokesman, Calls Park Geun-hye "Descendant of Evil Spirits"
Strong Protests from Ruling Party at the Time... Resigns from Spokesman Position

Baek Hyunjin, Floor Spokesperson of the People Power Party / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Bae Hyunjin, the floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, is facing strong protests from the Democratic Party of Korea after referring to the Moon Jae-in administration as the "Gwitae (鬼胎) regime." Bae, who previously worked as an anchor for MBC's 'News Desk' seven years ago, reported on the so-called 'Gwitae controversy' involving the Democratic Party, then the main opposition party.

The Gwitae controversy arose on July 11, 2013, when Hong Ikpyo, then the floor spokesperson for the Democratic Party, referred to former President Park Geun-hye as a "descendant of Gwitae."

In his commentary at the time, Hong stated, "Former President Park Chung-hee is Gwitae, and his eldest daughter, President Park Geun-hye, seems to be dreaming of a Yushin Republic," adding, "President Park's actions resemble those of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who calls for the revival of militarism."

Gwitae is a term that appeared in a book titled 'Kishi Nobusuke and Park Chung-hee,' published in 2010 by Tokyo University professor Kang Sangjoong. The word combines the characters for ghost (鬼) and fetus (胎), interpreted as "a child who should not have been born." Hong described former President Park as a "descendant of Gwitae," stating, "The descendants of Gwitae, President Park Geun-hye and Prime Minister Abe, are the leaders of Korea and Japan."

The then-ruling Saenuri Party strongly opposed Hong's remarks, calling them "verbal abuse that makes one question the qualifications of a member of the National Assembly," and Hong eventually resigned from his position as floor spokesperson.

Bae, who was an anchor for MBC News Desk at the time, reported on the Democratic Party's Gwitae controversy. He relayed the male anchor's comment that "the so-called Gwitae remarks are throwing the political world into turmoil," adding, "The Saenuri Party demanded an apology and refused all parliamentary schedules, while the Democratic Party countered that it was irresponsible nitpicking."

Bae Hyun-jin, then MBC anchor, reporting on the so-called 'Gwitae controversy' that erupted in July 2013 (right) / Photo by MBC 'News Desk' capture

Meanwhile, on the 8th, Bae posted on his Facebook, stating, "At this very moment, what is devastating the lives of all citizens is the Gwitae disguised as democracy, namely the Moon Jae-in administration," reigniting the Gwitae controversy after seven years.

He criticized, "The revolutionary forces that deceive the people and only fill their own pockets should never have come to power."

The ruling party responded by condemning the remarks as "expressions close to street-level profanity" and demanded Bae's resignation from his parliamentary seat.

Democratic Party spokesperson Shin Youngdae said in a statement, "Bae, who gained fame as the 'Park Geun-hye regime broadcaster,' cannot forget those days and is insulting the people," urging, "He should immediately resign from the National Assembly and apologize to the people and the president."

Senior spokesperson Choi Inho of the same party wrote on Facebook, "I usually refrain from commenting on other parties' affairs, but the floor spokesperson's words and actions are unpleasant to the public every day," pointing out, "The phrase 'Gwitae regime overturning constitutional history' denies the people's outcry that led to the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye."

He sarcastically added, "If the impeachment of Park Geun-hye is unfair, then they should be called 'Park Geun-hye Power,' not People Power."

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