Yoon Seok-yeol Camp: "Jeong Cheong-rae's 'Toll Fee' Remark Requires Substantial Reflection Instead of Proxy Apology by Democratic Party"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The campaign of Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate and former Prosecutor General, criticized that a genuine apology should be made instead of a proxy apology from the party leadership regarding the remarks about the ‘Haeinsa toll’ made by Jeong Cheong-rae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

On the 2nd, Choi Eun-seok, the chief deputy spokesperson of Yoon’s campaign, said, "The Democratic Party leadership has made two ‘proxy apologies’ for Jeong’s ‘Haeinsa toll’ remarks, but Jeong himself remains silent, saying ‘What did I do wrong?’" He demanded, "If the Democratic Party sincerely acknowledges the fault in Jeong’s remarks, they should not make ‘proxy apologies’ but rather take substantial reflection through disciplinary actions such as filing a complaint with the National Assembly Ethics Committee against Jeong."

Jeong Cheong-rae, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker [Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, at the Cultural Heritage Administration’s national audit last month, Jeong stated, "The distance from the ticket office to Haeinsa Temple is 3.5 km. Even if you do not enter the temple, you buy a ticket at the ticket office 3.5 km away and pay a toll," adding, "He is not Bongyi Kim Seon-dal."

Regarding this, the Buddhist community explained that it is a "legal matter specified in the Cultural Heritage Protection Act." In relation to this issue, Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party, apologized saying, "I am sorry," but Jeong has yet to issue an apology.

Spokesperson Choi pointed out, "Jeong has already lowered the level of politics and received criticism from the public several times due to habitual ‘reckless remarks,’" adding, "How else could he have earned the label ‘expert in reckless remarks’?"

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