In response to the column "Yoon Seok-yeol's Abdominal Obesity is Guilty," Yoon Hee-sook says, "Pseudo Women's Movements Must Be Stopped"

Media Column Claims "Yoon Seok-yeol Lives by Putting His Body Power Forward"
Yoon Hee-sook Criticizes "Evaluating People by Their Bodies Is Truly Petty"

Yoon Hee-sook, member of the People Power Party./Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Yoon Heesook, a member of the National Assembly from the People Power Party, strongly criticized a column from a media outlet that mentioned former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's body, claiming it was "the very result of living by wielding power." She said, "Evaluating a person based on their body is truly petty."

On the 12th, the Kyunghyang Shinmun published a column titled "Empty Words Detached from Duty and Life" in its 'Direct Speech' section. The author, writer and planner Hong Hye-eun, criticized former Prosecutor General Yoon by referring to his appearance.

Hong said, "What can be read from his widely spread legs in front of the media cameras? Some see it as a problem of arrogant attitude typical of middle-aged men from the legal profession, but athletes and medical professionals around me believe that the disappearance of the adductor muscles on the inner thighs and excessive abdominal obesity could be the fundamental issues."

She continued, "Judging the body by standards of beauty and utility is patriarchal and capitalistic. Nevertheless, this body is guilty," adding, "Because he is neither from a class that can only eat 'junk food,' nor a low-wage worker or self-employed person deprived of money and time for recreational sports as self-care due to the struggle to make a living." She then stated, "His body is itself the result of misunderstanding and wasting freedom and living by wielding power that creates such a world."

Hong also mentioned German Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying, "In Germany, where cooking with inexpensive ingredients is common, even Chancellor Merkel shops for groceries on her way home from work," and asked, "What does he (former Prosecutor General Yoon) think about the reality where local governments have to prepare lunchboxes for single-person households of men in their 50s just so they can eat?"

A Facebook post criticizing a media column in which Yoon Hee-sook, a member of the People Power Party, referred to former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's body, claiming it is "the very result of living by wielding power." / Photo by Yoon Hee-sook, captured from her Facebook page

In response, Assembly member Yoon said, "The recent writings by feminists about opposition party presidential candidates are truly surprising," pointing out, "They declare guilty the abdominal obesity of a middle-aged man from the legal profession who is not struggling to make a living, claiming it is the result of living by wielding power."

She added, "It is hard to believe such self-denigrating (male) appearance hatred came from someone who joined the feminist movement to practice the principle that people should not be discriminated against based on appearance," and criticized, "Apparently, men are not included among those whom this person believes deserve to be respected as human beings."

Assembly member Yoon said, "As the election approaches, it seems they are throwing off the mask of the women's movement they have used so far and honestly revealing themselves in partisan fights," and said, "It seems that healthy gender equality can only be possible if pseudo-feminist movements that have promoted misandry and misogyny for their own partisan gains are prevented from gaining a foothold."

She emphasized, "If you are not intending to stir up gender conflict under the banner of feminism as a lowly political tool, please at least show respect for people," and stressed, "Whether low-wage workers, prosecutors, or the overweight Yoon Heesook, the basic human right is to respect the person as they are."

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