Choi Jae-hyung Family "Why Criticize Singing the National Anthem... Not Ashamed"

Former Auditor General Choi Jae-hyung, who started his first official schedule as a preliminary presidential candidate for the People Power Party, is paying respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul on the 5th. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] Former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman and People Power Party presidential candidate Choi Jae-hyung's family has come forward to refute criticisms such as "totalitarianism" regarding singing all four verses of the national anthem at a family gathering.

On the 6th, according to Choi's campaign, the four daughters-in-law of the late Colonel Choi Young-seop (Yeo Myeong-hee, Lee So-yeon, Ahn Sook-hee, Lee Jung-eun) issued a statement saying, "Why should singing the national anthem be criticized?" and "We are neither ashamed nor troubled by singing the national anthem." Lee So-yeon is Choi's wife.

They said, "We respect our father's love for the country and his life," and emphasized, "Some criticize it as 'family coercion.' That is not true. If the country prospers, we would sing the national anthem a thousand or ten thousand times." Colonel Choi, Choi's father, participated in major battles of the Korean War, including the Incheon Landing Operation, and made remarkable achievements.

They continued, "Some people even use expressions like 'totalitarianism' and 'fascist,' and some mockingly said, 'Father-in-law, that's your opinion,'" adding, "We are at a loss for words thinking that our late father's honor is being tarnished just because we sang the national anthem."

They also explained the reason for singing the national anthem. They said, "After the Moon Jae-in administration took office, our father was very worried that the country was heading in the wrong direction, and at the 2018 Lunar New Year gathering, he said, 'Let us not forget our patriotic hearts,' so at that time, we all sang the national anthem up to the fourth verse together." They added, "There was also a Lunar New Year family gathering in 2019, but after that, family events could no longer be held due to COVID-19."

They further stated, "We daughters-in-law will love and remember our late father until the end," and "We respectfully ask that our father's honor not be further damaged."

Choi's campaign press team also responded publicly after Kim Seong-hoe, spokesperson for the Open Democratic Party, questioned details such as "whether the location was the Board of Audit and Inspection official residence dining hall, whether the Lunar New Year meal was prepared personally, and who took the photos."

According to the press team, the photos were taken in the first-floor dining hall of the Board of Audit and Inspection official residence, all meal preparations and dishwashing were done by family members without any staff assistance, and one of the family members took the photos. They also emphasized that all former chairpersons of the Board of Audit and Inspection dined in the first-floor dining hall.

The press team said, "If, by any chance, public residence staff were mobilized to prepare meals during the Lunar New Year, that would be problematic behavior," but added, "However, Choi's family did not act indiscriminately in that way."

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