Yoon Seok-yeol's Camp Hits Back at Ruling Party: "Have You Ever Retorted to North Korea's 'Boiled Squad Leader' Insult?"

Yoon Seok-yeol, a preliminary presidential candidate of the People Power Party. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, targeted the Democratic Party of Korea, asking, "Have you ever made a single 'protest' against North Korea, which spews abusive language such as 'boiled pig's head,' 'top idiot,' and 'innate fool' toward President Moon Jae-in and the Republic of Korea?"

On the 29th, Kim Ki-heung, chief deputy spokesperson of Yoon's campaign, issued a statement introducing Yoon's previous remark that "the current administration has turned our military into an army without enemies, without purpose, and without training," and said, "Perhaps hurt by this remark, Democratic Party spokesperson Kim Byung-joo demanded an apology, claiming it insulted the military and soldiers."

Spokesperson Kim said, "By explicitly stating the subject as 'the current administration' and pointing out the incompetence and mistakes of the military commander-in-chief and military leadership, interpreting it as an insult to the military and soldiers is a serious distortion," adding, "Is it a lack of Korean language skills? Or is it an attempt to shift the blame for the commander-in-chief and military leadership's mistakes onto the military and soldiers?"

He continued, "Isn't it the Democratic Party and this administration that cannot even properly condemn North Korea for blowing up the Kaesong Inter-Korean Liaison Office and executing our Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official?" and criticized, "An unprecedented situation occurred where 90% of the Cheonghae Unit was infected with COVID-19 and had to withdraw. Failures in vigilance and sexual harassment within the military have not ceased."

He then questioned, "Who is responsible for all this? Isn't it the president as the military commander-in-chief and the military leadership?"

Meanwhile, on the 27th, at the 'Defense Forum with the People' held at the Air Force Hotel in Daebang-dong, Seoul, candidate Yoon expressed his regret, mentioning sexual violence incidents within the military and the COVID-19 mass infection in the Cheonghae Unit, saying, "How did the military come to this state?"

In response, Kim Byung-joo, a former Army general and spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, posted on his Facebook on the 28th, criticizing, "Candidate Yoon is lowering the morale and pride of our military with reckless criticism," and called it "a petty attempt to boost his political stature by sharply insulting our soldiers who bear sacred duties."

Spokesperson Kim also pointedly asked, "Have you ever experienced the military? If you were unable to complete military service due to physical reasons, at least spend one month in a training camp to experience military life and tour the Army, Navy, and Air Force units to feel the reality of national defense."

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