The Democratic Party criticizes Yoon Seok-yeol's 'Freedom for the Extremely Poor' remark as "an insult and disparagement of the people... a record-breaking blunder"

"Does being poor and uneducated mean one is not free, and that they do not desire freedom?" Offensive Remarks

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is delivering a greeting speech at the launch ceremony of the Jeonbuk election campaign committee held at Jeonbuk National University in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk Province on the afternoon of the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] Controversy continues over Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, and his so-called 'extreme poverty disparagement remarks.' In response, the Democratic Party criticized the remarks as "an unprecedentedly outrageous and unacceptable slander that insults and belittles the people," urging Yoon to take responsible follow-up actions.

On the 22nd, during a town hall meeting with university students at Jeonbuk National University, Yoon stated, "People living in extreme poverty and those who are uneducated do not know what freedom is, nor do they feel the necessity of freedom for individuals," adding, "The essence of freedom exists only when there is a certain level of education and basic economic capability, and only then do people understand what freedom is," sparking controversy.

Kim Wooyoung, spokesperson for the Democratic Party's presidential campaign committee, said in a briefing that day, "Yoon's dangerously reckless view of freedom denies the spirit of the constitution," and lamented, "It is shocking that Yoon views the people discriminatively by dividing them by wealth and educational background."

He continued, calling it "an absolutely unacceptable slander," and asked, "Is he saying that if you are poor and uneducated, you cannot be a free person and do not even want to be free?"

He added, "Beyond surprise, one wonders if any presidential candidate has ever made such remarks. As a presidential candidate who should guarantee the people's freedom and rights, this is an outrageous statement that should never have been uttered," and criticized, "Given such a perception, it explains the 'dog apple' insult and the 'forced apology' over his wife's issues, which show disregard for the people."

Song Young-gil, the party leader, also wrote on his Facebook, "In ancient Greece, only free men had the right to vote. Time and capital secured through slave labor were the foundation for enjoying freedom," and said, "The country Yoon dreams of is one divided between free citizens and people who work like slaves, which is frightening. This gives us another reason to win the presidential election next year."

Furthermore, lawmaker Hong Young-pyo stated, "Is Yoon dreaming of a monarchy beyond dictatorship?" and said, "I was incredulous at Yoon's feudal remarks."

He added, "Freedom is an inalienable human right, and even with just the basic qualities of a democratic citizen, such slanderous remarks cannot be made, let alone by a presidential candidate," and criticized, "The people of South Korea, who achieved the Miracle on the Han River, were once very poor but achieved industrialization, democratization, and won freedom. Please stop insulting the people."

Meanwhile, after concluding a meeting with Jeonbuk journalists, Yoon met with reporters and explained regarding the controversial 'freedom' remarks, "I am not disrespecting those people but saying we need to help them," adding, "All citizens should be free people; it should not be only those who are well-educated and wealthy. The government must provide support."

He continued, "If you struggle to worry about your next meal, you cannot feel freedom," and said, "Whether poor or uneducated, to make them feel freedom, we need to guarantee better economic conditions and provide more educational opportunities so they can appreciate the value of freedom."

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