Baek Hyunjin "Fabricated President" vs Yoon Geon-young "Not Worth Responding"

Former Governor Kim Kyung-soo Guilty, People Power Party Demands Presidential Apology
Yoon Ho-jung: "Qualitatively Different from NIS Comment Manipulation Case"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] Former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo was convicted of manipulating public opinion during the last presidential election, prompting the opposition to launch a full-scale offensive demanding an apology from President Moon Jae-in, who was elected in that election. Expressions such as "fabricated president" emerged, claiming that the election results were rigged. On the other hand, the ruling party continues to defend former Governor Kim and is making every effort to block the offensive.

On the 22nd, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, sharpened his remarks at the Supreme Council meeting, saying, "The Blue House must apologize immediately. Please prevent the younger generation from mocking the former Moon Jae-in and the current Moon Jae-in by comparing them." Bae Hyun-jin, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, also said, "The entire nation has confirmed that the last presidential election was ultimately a rigged illegal election," adding, "The legitimacy of the Moon Jae-in government’s birth has been lost, and in modern terms, it has become a 'fabricated government' and a 'fabricated president.'

They argue that former Governor Kim’s comment manipulation was merely a deviation by aides of President Moon and is not something that should be concluded solely by the defendant’s guilty verdict. Instead, it is seen as an issue concerning the morality of the entire ruling party and the legitimacy of the regime, which could escalate into a major controversy in the upcoming presidential election political landscape.

Conversely, the ruling party has focused all efforts on blocking the issue’s blade from turning toward the president. Yoon Gun-young, a member of the Democratic Party and considered President Moon’s close aide, appeared on MBC Radio that day and countered, "The 2017 presidential election was a time when the desire for regime change was stronger than ever immediately after the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye," adding, "There was neither reason nor situation to engage in such acts (comment manipulation)." Regarding the opposition’s demand for an apology from President Moon, he dismissed it as "not worth responding to." Additionally, Yoon Ho-jung, floor leader of the Democratic Party, launched a counterattack, saying, "This case is qualitatively different from the comment manipulation that involved the systematic intervention of state agencies like the National Intelligence Service and the Cyber Command in the presidential election."

However, internal criticism emphasizing that this incident began with a wrong political judgment within the ruling party also emerged. Kim Doo-kwan, a lawmaker, said on the radio, "Although it is related to the presidential election, it is difficult to see it as an act directly connected to the president," adding, "Holding the president responsible is an excessive political offensive." At the same time, he said, "I cannot help but blame candidate Chu Mi-ae (Democratic Party presidential candidate)," and "I think she should take responsibility for these aspects." Since former Governor Kim’s guilty verdict was triggered by the accusation from former Minister Chu Mi-ae, who was the Democratic Party leader at the time, this is considered a so-called own goal.

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