[Summary] Ruling Party: "We will send industrial sewing machines" vs Opposition: "We will use them appropriately" Dispute over 'Pardon Target' Remarks

Joo, Floor Leader, on Ruling Party's Backlash: "I Am Taken Aback"
"A Sincere Request to View This Issue from the Other Side"
"Officials of This Administration Could Also Be Subject to Pardon"

Joo Ho-young, Floor Leader of the People Power Party / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Joo Ho-young, the floor leader of the People Power Party, sparked deepening conflict between the ruling and opposition parties by remarking that President Moon Jae-in "might himself become a subject of a pardon." The Democratic Party of Korea, which immediately pushed back, responded strongly, saying they would "send an industrial sewing machine as a gift." In response, Floor Leader Joo said, "I will use it appropriately."

On the morning of the 21st, Floor Leader Joo appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and dismissed the Democratic Party's backlash as "surprising," making the above remarks.

He continued, "We did not demand a pardon first. People related to this administration have said whenever there is an opportunity that once the verdict on the former president is finalized, they would discuss a pardon," pointing out, "On January 1, Lee Nak-yeon, the Democratic Party leader, talked about a pardon."

He added, "He himself talked about a pardon, and then there should be reflection and apology. It has humiliated those who are suffering during their imprisonment," emphasizing, "(My remarks) were a sincere request to look at this issue from the other person's perspective."

Floor Leader Joo said, "I did not say that a specific person would be the subject of a pardon. People related to this administration could also be subjects of a pardon, couldn't they?" He criticized, "You never know what will happen in life. I don't understand why there is such a hypersensitive reaction."

Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the 21st. / Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier on the 20th, the Democratic Party had strongly criticized Floor Leader Joo, calling his remarks "the worst verbal abuse ever."

On that day, Kim Tae-nyeon, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said at the party's Supreme Council meeting, "His remarks crossed the ethics and norms of politics," and criticized, "It is very regrettable that the leader of the main opposition party did not hesitate to make a curse-like remark treating the sitting president as a lawbreaker."

Kim Jong-min, a Supreme Council member of the same party, also sharpened his words regarding Floor Leader Joo's remarks, saying, "It is certain that the People Power Party is an anti-Moon Jae-in faction."

He emphasized, "Floor Leader Joo's dreadful imagination linking the sitting president to a pardon is shocking," and called it "a symbolic remark showing the true intentions of the People Power Party."

On the 20th, Kim Kyung-hyup, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, posted a photo of an industrial sewing machine on his Facebook, saying, "Let's send this as a gift to Representative Joo." / Photo by Internet homepage capture

There was also a strong reaction within the party. On the same day, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Kyung-hyup posted on his Facebook page a photo of a sewing machine, saying, "Floor Leader Joo Ho-young's parade of below-standard verbal abuse continues," and added, "Let's send an industrial sewing machine as a gift so that he can no longer pollute the ears of the people."

Meanwhile, on the 19th, Floor Leader Joo said at the People Power Party's floor strategy meeting, "The sitting president will become a former president as time passes," and "Once they become former presidents, they themselves can also be subjects of a pardon."

He added, "I hope they always take a stance of putting themselves in others' shoes." Floor Leader Joo's remarks are interpreted as targeting President Moon's statement on the 18th, when he closed the discussion on pardoning former presidents by saying, "Now is not the time to talk about it."

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