Yoo Seung-min: "Yoon, who said he was moved by Truman's quote, isn't he afraid of public opinion?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Yoo Seung-min, a former lawmaker considered one of the frontrunners for the ruling party's leadership, raised his voice saying that President Yoon Seok-yeol should take responsibility for the Itaewon accident, asking, "Aren't you afraid of public sentiment?"

On the 10th, Yoo posted on his social network service (SNS), "Where has President Yoon, who was moved by Truman's maxim and repeatedly emphasized the 'nation's infinite responsibility for public safety,' disappeared to now?"

This was aimed at President Yoon, who remains silent amid calls for the dismissal of Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min.

Yoo referred to the maxim on the desk of former U.S. President Truman's office, "The buck stops here," saying, "During the previous administration, I criticized former President Moon Jae-in's extreme irresponsibility and detachment from reality by quoting Truman's maxim. However, a feast of fine words is useless. The issue is not words but action."

President Yoon is also known to like this maxim. He keeps this sign, gifted by President Biden, on his desk in the Yongsan office.

Yoo also mentioned Chief Presidential Secretary Kim Dae-gi's remark that "changing ministers or chiefs every time an incident occurs is backward," saying, "'What is 'modern society' and what is 'backward'? How can the Itaewon tragedy, where 156 people died in the heart of Seoul, be considered 'an incident that happens every time'?" He added, "'The sign that says 'I take all responsibility' has become an empty promise."

He said, "The Yongsan Police Station should be held appropriately accountable for its mistakes. However, if this is used to cut off responsibility and shift blame onto the police officers and firefighters who worked desperately on the front lines, which citizen would accept that?" He also criticized the ruling party, saying, "If you are People Power Party, you should stand on the side of the people and not flatter power because of petty nomination threats."

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