Jokook Criticizes Yoon Seok-yeol for Mentioning 'Jukchangga': "Historical Awareness Similar to Japanese Government... Appalling"

Yoon Suk-yeol: "Korea-Japan Relations Have Come This Far After Singing Ideologically Biased 'Death Song'"

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is holding a press conference for his presidential candidacy on the 29th at the Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol said about Korea-Japan relations, "We have come this far after singing an ideologically biased 'Jukchangga' (bamboo spear song)," while former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk harshly criticized on the 29th, saying, "I am appalled by the Japanese government's similar sense of history."

Former Minister Cho wrote on his Facebook on the same day, "As the person who posted the 'Jukchangga' on July 13, 2019, I cannot help but ask Yoon Seok-yeol this," expressing his opinion.

He asked Yoon, "Do you agree with the Supreme Court rulings on forced laborers in 2012 and 2018?" and "Do you think the economic war initiated by the Japanese government is the fault of the Moon Jae-in administration or the Korean Supreme Court?"

Additionally, former Minister Cho questioned, "What do you think about the fact that after two years of the Korea-Japan trade war, the level of technological self-reliance of Korean companies has increased, and overall, Korea is evaluated as having won?"

Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, at a press conference declaring his presidential bid held at the Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall the previous day, former Prosecutor General Yoon responded to a question from a Japanese NHK reporter about improving Korea-Japan relations by saying, "Currently, Korea-Japan relations have deteriorated to the worst level since the establishment of diplomatic ties and have been damaged to the point where recovery is impossible," adding, "Diplomacy should be based on pragmatism, practical approach, and realism, but we have come this far after singing the ideologically biased 'Jukchangga'."

The 'Jukchangga' mentioned by former Prosecutor General Yoon is a term used by former Minister Cho when he served as Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs at the Blue House in 2019. At the time when tensions between the two countries escalated due to Japan's export restrictions, former Minister Cho introduced the 'Jukchangga,' which is based on the Donghak Peasant Revolution and anti-Japanese righteous army, on Facebook.

Meanwhile, former leader of the Democratic Party Lee Nak-yeon also pointed out through Facebook, "I doubted my eyes at that part (Jukchangga)," and said, "The vulgarity of that historical awareness and the insensitivity to make such a reckless remark at the Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall was shocking."

He continued, "His declaration consistently showed an attitude of trying to gain something by provoking the people's hatred," and "Such politics is not the politics of a leader," directly criticizing him.

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