Choi Jae-hyung Issues Statement on 'Grandfather Controversy'... "It's Time to End Old-Style Politics"

People Power Party presidential candidate and former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung (second from right) is holding a meeting on senior citizen policies with Chairman Kim Ho-il and others at the Central Association of the Korean Senior Citizens in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 18th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Geum Bo-ryeong] Choi Jae-hyung, former head of the Board of Audit and Inspection and a presidential candidate from the People Power Party, expressed his stance on the issue of his grandfather's pro-Japanese activities, stating, "The old-fashioned politics that divide the people over ancestors and past history must end now."

On the 18th, Choi held a briefing at his campaign office in Yeouido, Seoul, and made these remarks.

Regarding the controversy over his grandfather's pro-Japanese activities, Choi explained, "(My grandfather) was recognized for his strong patriotism and love for reunification as an advisor to the Pyeonggang County People's Assembly in Gangwon Province, which was not yet liberated, on October 13, 2002, and received a presidential citation. At school, he fought against Japanese teachers and even went on a leave of absence strike, which led to his forced expulsion. He also established a farmers' night school to enlighten and improve the welfare of farmers. Additionally, while serving as a representative of Korean residents in Hailin, Ying'an County, Manchuria, he worked to improve the welfare of Koreans by resisting Japanese rule," he said.

He continued, "Pro-government media outlets are accusing my great-grandfather of being pro-Japanese because he served as a myeonjang (township head) and received a commendation from the Japanese Governor-General of Korea. However, the 'National Census Commemorative Medal' they claim as a commendation was a commemorative coin distributed en masse to tens of thousands of myeonjangs who conducted the population census at the time. It is so common that even now, nearly 100 years later, you can find it in online shopping malls for 20,000 to 30,000 won. Is it reasonable to claim someone is pro-Japanese just because they received this?" he criticized.

Choi also said, "The Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities has detailed on its website how the Japanese forced the Korean people to contribute to national defense. Does that mean all those countless Korean people who had no choice but to make national defense contributions were pro-Japanese? I feel truly devastated by the attempt to label my ancestors as pro-Japanese just because I entered politics," he stated.

He added, "'One must be fully loyal to the Republic of Korea.' This is something I heard so often from my father growing up that it stuck in my ears," and said, "For me and my family, this country called the Republic of Korea is important because we are grateful to it."

Choi emphasized the 'future.' He said, "My concern is entirely about how to protect the Republic of Korea that our ancestors have preserved and how to build a freer and stronger Korea where young people can fully blossom their dreams," adding, "The old-fashioned politics that summon the past, divide the people with a pro-Japanese frame, and recklessly judge the hard lives of ancestors must stop now."

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