"Daegu Lockdown? Crazy Talk" to Yoon... Song Young-gil: "Stirring Regional Sentiment... Not Fit for Presidential Candidate"

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Song Young-gil, the party leader, directly called former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol "the very representative of 억까 (forced criticism) politics." This was in response to Yoon's criticism of the ruling party's 'Daegu lockdown' remarks made early last year amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

On the afternoon of the 20th, Song visited Samsung Electronics' Hwaseong Campus in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and criticized, "Even Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, said we should not engage in such politics, yet this is too outdated for the times."

Song then clarified the 'Daegu lockdown' incident involving Hong Ik-pyo, who was the senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party in February last year. Song said, "Hong's intention should be interpreted as aiming to thoroughly block the spread of COVID-19 for quarantine purposes. It was not about locking down people. Forced criticism is old-fashioned politics."

He further condemned Yoon's remarks that stirred regional sentiments, saying, "This language is unfit for a presidential candidate."

Song questioned, "As you know, doctors from Gwangju, seeing the shortage of hospital beds in Daegu, personally drove to transfer Daegu patients to Chonnam National University Hospital for treatment?this is a beautiful example of politics we should talk about. Why then use forced criticism to divide the people and use language that provokes regional sentiments in Daegu?"

Regarding the parole of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Song expressed a principled stance. He explained, "The conditions for parole apply when two-thirds of the sentence is served, or according to the Ministry of Justice guidelines, when 60% is completed. In principle, without any special favors, Vice Chairman Lee is said to have completed 60% of his sentence by August. He could be eligible."

He added, "Parole falls under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Justice, while pardons are the authority of the Blue House and the President. Considering the demands of the semiconductor industry, public sentiment, and the fact that he has served 60% of his sentence, I believe the government is deliberating on this matter."

Meanwhile, former Prosecutor General Yoon visited Daegu on the same day and stated, "Amid the reckless and crazy talk about locking down Daegu like Wuhan, instead of supporting the efforts of medical staff and citizens to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Daegu, I think the pride of Daegu citizens must have been greatly hurt."

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