[Inside Chodong] Another Gaffe Sparks Controversy... How Long Will the Ruling Party Continue Like This?

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The People Power Party, which faced backlash over a gaffe by lawmaker Jadang who said "I hope it rains" at a flood relief volunteer site, has once again been thrown into turmoil due to another slip of the tongue. Although the remark came from an external guest speaker rather than an internal party member, the fact that a senior female lawmaker, a former Supreme Council member, and even the First Lady openly mentioned it has caused considerable waves.

The protagonist of the problematic remark was writer Lee Ji-sung, who spoke as a lecturer at the People Power Party dinner held on the 25th at the Talent Education Training Center in Cheonan, Chungnam. He is also the husband of billiards player Cha Yu-ram, who serves as the party’s Central Election Committee’s culture and sports special advisor. Toward the end of his lecture, he was asked by floor leader Kwon Seong-dong, "I heard that you (the writer) somewhat forced your wife Cha to come to our party and help out. What is the reason for that?" In responding, he made the gaffe.

He explained, "Many people have told me that the People Power Party lacks two images: youth and women," and said, "I told my wife, ‘If you join the People Power Party, wouldn’t it change the image to one of youth and beautiful women?’" He went on to say, "There is Bae Hyun-jin and Na Kyung-won, all beautiful women, but somehow it feels a bit lacking. Even with First Lady Kim Keon-hee, it seems insufficient. If you join and become part of the ‘four-person group,’ it will be the end," he said. This remark blatantly revealed a so-called ‘old-fashioned’ mindset that judges women’s value based on appearance and youth rather than ability.

The problem did not end there. The attending lawmakers responded with applause and cheers to his answer. Rather than putting a stop to the writer’s distorted perception, a considerable number of lawmakers showed that they sympathized with it. President Yoon Suk-yeol emphasized a "competent party and government" at the dinner. Emergency Committee Chair Joo Ho-young raised his voice, saying, "Let’s go with dignity and win the public’s trust." However, the behavior and awareness of the lawmakers that day seemed far from winning public sentiment. Even Woo Sang-ho, Emergency Committee Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea, sharply criticized, saying it was "embarrassing." How much longer must we watch the ruling party be engulfed in ‘gaffe controversies’?

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