'Gwangju Bihwa' Remarks Controversy Joo Dong-sik Dismissed on the Same Day He Joined Yoon Seok-yeol's Camp

"I Can't Burden You with Unnecessary Controversy"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Joo Dong-sik, the head of the People Power Party's Gwangju Seo-gu Gap district committee, who was recruited to former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's campaign, was dismissed on the day he joined after renewed attention was drawn to his controversial 'Gwangju disparaging remarks' during last year's general election.

Former Prosecutor General Yoon's campaign stated in an official statement on the 21st, "Committee head Joo submitted his resignation today," and "the campaign has accepted it and hereby announces his dismissal."

On the same day, Yoon's campaign announced additional personnel appointments, including committee head Joo.

However, controversy arose again over the recruitment as it became known that during the April general election last year, Joo said in a speech as a candidate for Gwangju Seo-gu Gap, "Gwangju has fallen into a city trapped by the legacy of the 1980s, a city obsessed with rituals instead of production, and a city where the monument of past tragedies blocks young people's employment and childbirth."

In particular, the controversy seemed to have intensified as former Prosecutor General Yoon recently caused a stir with his remarks defending former President Jeon Du-hwan.

Committee head Joo explained his reason for resignation through Facebook on the same day, saying, "The media began attacking me in connection with former Prosecutor General Yoon's remarks about Jeon Du-hwan," and "I judged that I could not cause unnecessary controversy and burden the candidate ahead of the crucial battle for regime change."

However, he added, "I do not think any of my remarks during the last general election were slips of the tongue or rude comments," and "The future where Honam and the Republic of Korea go together is what I advocated in the last general election."

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