'Dolsang Yen and Mokpo Dinner' Yeo Criticism Met by Yoon Side's "False Information Distribution Allegation Report"

Song Young-gil Apologizes for Placing Japanese Yen on Dol Table
Democratic Party Accused of Election Law Violation at Dinner in Mokpo
Lee Yang-su: "There Are Receipts, False Negative Black Propaganda"

People Power Party's presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol receives a bouquet from a supporter while attending the '2021 K-Pet Fair Ilsan' event held at KINTEX in Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 19th. 2021.11.19 Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The verbal sparring between the two major parties targeting Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, continues. The 'Dolsang Yen' and the 'Mokpo Dinner' are representative examples.

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, apologized on the 20th after making a 'Dolsang Yen' remark aimed at Yoon Seok-yeol. Yoon's camp criticized it as a "typical false negative and black propaganda."

At the 2021 General Assembly of the National Coalition for Economic Democracy and Peaceful Unification (Minpyeongryeon) held the previous day, Song said, "Yoon Seok-yeol, born as the son of a wealthy Yonsei University professor close to Japan to the extent that yen was placed on the dolsang instead of Korean money at his first birthday party, passed the judicial examination, graduated from Seoul National University Law School, and served as Prosecutor General," adding, "He lived in a position of power and now claims to protect liberal democracy, shouting fairness and common sense."

Song mentioned the first birthday party photo to emphasize that Yoon is a 'person close to Japan and wealthy.' However, contrary to Song's remarks, it was rebutted that the banknotes appearing in the photo are estimated to be Cheonhwan notes issued by the Bank of Korea in the early 1960s.

Lee Yang-su, chief spokesperson for Yoon, said in a statement, "The public watching the ruling party leader trying to raise baseless pro-Japanese suspicions and divide people based on family background will feel sorrow rather than anger," and pointed out, "It is a typical false negative and black propaganda."

In response, the Democratic Party informed the press corps via text message that "Leader Song acknowledged his mistake regarding the currency placed on Yoon's dolsang and expressed regret."

Earlier, Lee Yong-bin, spokesperson for the Democratic Party's election committee, cited media reports in a briefing the previous day, stating, "It is said that Yoon did not pay a single won after enjoying a bomb shot dinner with former Mokpo city council members in Mokpo on the 10th," and announced plans to file a complaint.

However, Yoon's camp denied the ruling party's 'Mokpo dinner' claim as false and said they would instead file a complaint for spreading false information. The spokesperson said, "Yoon paid for his meal and received a receipt. The media articles that raised suspicions have already been taken down," adding, "The recklessness and shamelessness of spreading false information and filing complaints with the prosecution without even minimal fact-checking closely resemble the current government."

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