Jin Jeong-seok's Remarks on 'No War in the Joseon Dynasty by Japan' Face Continued Criticism Within the Party (Comprehensive)

Jin Jeong-seok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is attending the forum "A Great Shift in Semiconductor Workforce Training! Gangwon Province Starts It" held at the National Assembly on the 11th, delivering a congratulatory speech. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kwon Hyun-ji] Criticism is emerging within the party over the remarks made by Jeong Jin-seok, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, who stated that "Japan never went to war with the Joseon Dynasty."

Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min wrote on his Facebook on the 11th, "Is this really what our party's emergency committee chairman is saying? This is a vulgar remark playing into the trap set by Lee Jae-myung (leader of the Democratic Party of Korea)," adding, "I strongly demand that Chairman Jeong immediately apologize to the public for this outrageous statement and resign from his position."

Chairman Jeong had previously stated in response to Lee’s opposition to the South Korea-U.S.-Japan joint East Sea military exercises and his comment that "the Rising Sun flag could actually be raised again on the Korean Peninsula," that "Joseon was rotten from within and thus fell. Japan never went to war with the Joseon Dynasty."

Former lawmaker Yoo pointed out, "Why did the Imjin War and the Jeongyu War occur? For what did Yi Sun-sin, Ahn Jung-geun, and Yun Dong-ju sacrifice their lives?" He emphasized, "Our People Power Party clearly does not share the same views as Chairman Jeong."

Former People Power Party Supreme Council member Kim Yong-tae also expressed on his Facebook, "Chairman Jeong’s statement that 'Japan never went to war with the Joseon Dynasty' is clearly open to misunderstanding. I am concerned that this could lead to a futile political conflict by falling into Lee’s misguided color politics."

He added, "At the same time, I urge the emergency committee chairman, who represents our party, to show a more flexible and open attitude. Even if the Joseon Dynasty was rotten and decayed internally toward its end, Japan’s forcible seizure of Joseon’s sovereignty is a historical sin that cannot be justified by any logic."

Kim further stated, "The value that President Yoon Seok-youl has consistently emphasized is 'freedom.' Just as those who represent the party have the freedom to speak, party members also have the freedom to point out and criticize those remarks. I hope that no further disputes will drain the party’s strength during this critical time."

However, despite criticism within the party, Chairman Jeong rebutted on Facebook, saying, "They are making a fuss again trying to frame me as pro-Japanese."

He elaborated, "I wrote that Japan never went to war with the Joseon Dynasty. It means that Japan took over the country without even fighting a single war or exerting its power. The place where the Japanese army massacred about 100,000 Donghak Peasant Revolution fighters is Ugumchi in my hometown Gongju. I am the person who feels the cruel massacre and invasion of Japanese imperialism most deeply."

Chairman Jeong stated, "The Joseon national community was seriously ill and powerless, and thus experienced the sorrow of national ruin. Attacking me as pro-Japanese or as someone with a colonialist historical perspective just because I said this distorts and misleads the essence of the commentary."

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