Lee Jae-myung to Yoon Seok-yeol's plan to visit Gwangju: "It's only right to apologize"

"Apologies Without Backing Actions Are Bound to Be Questioned for Sincerity"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, is speaking at the Central Election Countermeasures Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 3rd.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, emphasized on the 3rd that he "expects a sincere apology accompanied by action" toward Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential primary candidate of the People Power Party, who caused controversy with his remarks defending former President Chun Doo-hwan.

On the same day, Lee wrote on his Facebook, "Yoon said he would visit Gwangju to apologize after the primary," expressing this view.

He said, "I know many people are angry, calling it a political move to evade responsibility, but it is a good thing that Yoon has decided to apologize," adding, "Since he made a mistake, it is only right to apologize to the citizens of Gwangju and the public."

He continued, "Anyone can make mistakes. It is natural and desirable to apologize and ask for forgiveness when that happens," and added, "However, what is important is sincerity. Apologies without actions to back them up are bound to be doubted for their sincerity."

Lee said, "The apology for Yoon's remarks defending Chun Doo-hwan is no different," and pointed out, "While verbal apologies are important, for an apology to have sincerity, appropriate actions must follow."

He then criticized, "Within the People Power Party, where Yoon belongs, there are the so-called 'Three 5.18 Defamation Trio'?Kim Jin-tae, Lee Jong-myung, and Kim Soon-rye. However, they only received light disciplinary actions."

He also said, "Moreover, former lawmaker Kim Jin-tae is currently serving as the chairman of the People Power Party's Special Verification Committee for the presidential election. Can an apology made with mere words, while placing such a person in a key position, sincerely reach the citizens of Gwangju?"

Furthermore, he criticized, "Politics is about action rather than words. Our people have not forgotten the massacrer Chun Doo-hwan, and Yoon's remarks defending him are unforgivable."

Finally, Lee concluded his post by questioning, "If there is any sincerity, shouldn't responsible measures be taken first against the current and former People Power Party members involved in 5.18 defamation, including Yoon himself?"

Earlier, former lawmakers Kim Jin-tae, Lee Jong-myung, and Kim Soon-rye were criticized for making disparaging remarks about the May 18 Democratic Uprising at the '5.18 Truth Investigation Public Hearing' in 2019. Kim Jin-tae currently serves as the chairman of the People Power Party's special verification committee related to the Daejang-dong scandal.

Yoon Seok-yeol, a presidential primary candidate of the People Power Party, is speaking at a meeting with the Namdaemun Market Merchants Association in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 3rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, on the 19th of last month, Yoon visited the Haeundae Gap Party Member Council in Haeundae-gu, Busan, and said, "Except for the military coup and May 18, former President Chun made mistakes, but many say he was good at politics," adding, "People in Honam also say such things," which sparked criticism.

After the controversy over his defense arose, Yoon stated at a press conference held by the People Power Party's Ulsan branch on the 23rd of the same month, "Rather than simply saying sorry, admitting fault, or apologizing, I will visit Gwangju to warmly comfort those who have wounds and trauma."

However, Kim Kyung-jin, a former lawmaker and external cooperation special advisor for Yoon's campaign, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Pyo Chang-won's News High Kick' on the 1st and said, "Because there are comments calling the apology an 'insincere show,' we feel uncomfortable, and even within our team, opinions have not yet been settled," mentioning the possibility of postponing the apology visit schedule.

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