Jeonjangyeon Celebrates Lee Jun-seok's Birthday, Proposes "100-Minute Debate"... Lee Says "Anytime"

Jeonjangyeon "Happy Birthday to Lee Jun-seok... Expecting Communication and Unified Politics"
Lee Jun-seok "They Told Me to Apologize, Now I Don't Know Which Tune to Follow"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Jeonjangyeon), which has been clashing daily with Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, over subway protests demanding guaranteed mobility rights and budget for the disabled, proposed a '100-minute debate' to Lee on the 31st. Lee accepted, saying, "I don't know which rhythm to follow, but I will have a debate anytime."

Park Kyung-seok, co-representative of Jeonjangyeon, issued a statement that day saying, "Leader Lee Jun-seok, regarding the agenda exchanged with Jeonjangyeon and on social media (SNS), I propose a '100-minute debate' unconditionally through the media. And I request that the four major disability rights bills be passed in the April National Assembly session, which includes Disability Day."

He continued by congratulating Lee, who celebrated his birthday that day, saying, "Happy birthday. As the leader of the ruling party, I look forward to politics that communicate and unify together." Park also announced plans to move to the People Power Party headquarters after completing the 'March of Persons with Disabilities for Full Guarantee of Disability Education Rights' at 2 p.m. at the Irum Center in Yeouido, Seoul, to deliver a birthday cake and the debate proposal statement to Lee.

Previously, Lee and Jeonjangyeon had a verbal dispute over the subway protests during commuting hours. Lee repeatedly posted on Facebook criticizing Jeonjangyeon's protest method as "taking citizens hostage," to which Jeonjangyeon demanded an apology, saying it "divides citizens and persons with disabilities." Lee refused, saying, "I will not apologize. Specify explicitly what I am supposed to apologize for."

Park Kyung-seok, Co-Executive Director of the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Jeonjangyeon). On the 30th, Jeonjangyeon held a head-shaving protest resolution ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Station on Seoul Subway Line 3 in Jongno-gu, Seoul, urging the Presidential Transition Committee to respond regarding securing the budget for disability rights. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Regarding Park's public debate proposal, Lee responded, "I don't exactly know what it's about, but after repeatedly asking for an apology for several days, yesterday they said they would take Line 2 if I didn't apologize, and today they propose a debate," adding, "I don't know which rhythm to follow, but I will have a debate anytime."

He added, "What is 100 minutes? If it's a long-awaited debate that justifies tying up hundreds of thousands of Seoul citizens on the subway, let's do a one-on-one debate with unlimited time."

Lee also suggested the debate topics as 'Does Lee Jun-seok hate persons with disabilities?', 'Debate on mobility rights for persons with disabilities,' and 'Was the Seoul subway morning protest appropriate?' He added, "Park Kyung-seok should appear as the debater. I suggest Kim Eo-jun as the moderator."

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