"Honorary Japanese" "Grounds for Impeachment"... Opposition Party's Increasingly Harsh Criticism Level

Yoon "Don't Worry About Reimbursement Claims" Strong Criticism of Japanese Media Interview
Chu Mi-ae "Make Sure Dokdo Is Not Even Mentioned"

President Yoon Suk-yeol visited Japan on the 16th for the Korea-Japan summit, amid escalating criticism from opposition parties toward the government and ruling party. They fiercely attacked the government’s solution to forced labor compensation and the contents of President Yoon’s interview with Japanese media released the previous day, calling it "honorary Japanese" and "contempt for the rule of law."

Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized at the policy coordination meeting on the same day, saying, "In the interview with Yomiuri Shimbun released yesterday, President Yoon confidently stated that our government’s self-compensation plan was 'my idea and a reasonable solution,' and said, 'Japan does not need to worry. We will not exercise the right of recourse.' It is puzzling that despite knowing the strong opposition from the public, he is acting against public sentiment."

He continued, "Survivors of forced labor victims have officially rejected the government’s solution, yet the President of the Republic of Korea is only concerned about reassuring Japan," and urged, "This visit to Japan must not end as a nostalgic trip for President Yoon. We must definitely extract a sincere apology from the Japanese government and a progressive solution regarding compensation for forced labor victims."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, visiting Japan for a 2-day, 1-night trip, arrived at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan on the 16th and are disembarking from Air Force One.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Kim Seong-hwan, chairman of the Policy Committee, said, "The people feel not just despair but anger toward a president who tells Japan, not the Korean victims of forced labor, 'Do not worry,'" and added, "President Yoon also said that the reason for the deterioration of Korea-Japan relations was the '2018 Supreme Court ruling.' As the head of the executive branch and the head of state, the president violated the separation of powers and bowed deeply to Japan."

He continued, "In front of Japan, President Yoon even disgraced the rule of law, which he himself emphasized," claiming this constitutes "grounds for impeachment." Chairman Kim said, "To the extent that people call President Yoon, Foreign Minister Park Jin, National Security Office Director Kim Seong-han, First Deputy Director Kim Tae-hyo, and Asia-Pacific Bureau Director Seo Min-jung the 'Gye-myo Five Traitors,' following the Eulsa Five Traitors," and criticized, "At this point, isn’t it beyond the resurrection of Lee Wan-yong to call them 'honorary Japanese'?"

Former Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae pointed out President Yoon’s remark in the Yomiuri Shimbun interview that "Japanese people are honest," saying, "As a personal reflection, one can say 'Japan is beautiful, and Japanese people are honest.' The important thing is that as the president representing the country, he is dealing not with individual Japanese but with Japan’s diplomatic partners," and added, "They were not honest. That is why the issues have not been resolved."

She further stated, "Since you already trust the 'honest' Japan, if you can get them to honestly acknowledge their wrongdoings regarding forced labor and the comfort women issue, then aside from money, at least diplomatic face can be saved," and added, "No matter how much they try to shake things up with their food shows, stay alert and do not even let them dare mention Dokdo. I wish you good fortune."

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