Presidential Office on Yoon's 'Anti-State Forces' Remark: "Not Targeting Moon Administration"

Presidential Office: "Yoon's Remarks Are General Statements"
Refers to Factions Advocating Economic and Security Claims Harmful to National Interests
Focus on Yoon's Remarks Overshadows Cabinet Reshuffle, Attempts to Manage Political Conflict

On the 29th, the Presidential Office sought to clarify remarks made by President Yoon Seok-yeol regarding 'anti-state forces,' amid ongoing controversy in political circles suggesting the comments targeted the previous Moon Jae-in administration and opposition parties. The office stated that the remarks were not aimed at the previous government or any specific political faction. Rather, they were general comments concerning security and economic threats related to interest cartels such as renewable energy subsidy projects, government grants to civic groups, private education interests, and espionage activities by some civic organizations.

A senior official from the Presidential Office made these remarks during a press briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in the afternoon, emphasizing that the comments were general in nature.

Earlier, at the 69th anniversary founding ceremony of the Korea Freedom Federation, President Yoon criticized "anti-state forces with distorted historical consciousness and irresponsible national views" who pleaded for the United Nations Security Council to lift sanctions on North Korea's communist regime, which is advancing its nuclear armament, and who advocated for a declaration of the end of the war that would dismantle the UN Command. Opposition parties interpreted this as labeling the previous Moon Jae-in administration as anti-state forces, criticizing, "If they were such forces, why was the Prosecutor General appointed from among them?" and condemning the remarks as "unacceptable extreme expressions."

The official explained, "The most important policies for leading the country are economy and security. If something harms our economy, it can be seen as an anti-economic force, and if it harms security, it can be considered an anti-security force." He added, "If there are anti-economic or anti-security forces, wouldn't they also be anti-state forces? It is clear that there are groups that oppose or act against national interests in terms of security and economy. President Yoon pointed out this aspect."

However, he noted, "While President Yoon's message is consistent, the nuance naturally changes slightly depending on time, place, and situation (TPO). The organization that attended yesterday's event was founded by people who tried to save the country from anti-security forces during the Korean War in 1954, so it is reasonable to consider the TPO when listening to the remarks," he added.

Although the remarks were somewhat strong depending on the event attended, the intention was to clarify the Yoon administration's stance against interest cartels harming security and the economy, not to criticize the previous government.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon also met with presidential secretaries appointed as vice ministers that morning and urged them to "boldly confront predatory interest cartels" if discovered. Kim Oh-jin, the Secretary for Management, and Baek Won-guk, the Secretary for Land, Infrastructure and Transport, were appointed respectively as the first and second vice ministers of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Park Seong-hoon, Secretary for National Planning, was appointed as vice minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; Lim Sang-jun, Secretary for National Tasks, as vice minister of the Ministry of Environment; and Jo Seong-gyeong, Secretary for Science and Technology, as vice minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT.

This explanation from the Presidential Office appears aimed at managing the controversy over President Yoon's remarks rather than drawing attention to the cabinet reshuffle of ministers and vice ministers. There is also concern that policy momentum may not accelerate due to the controversy surrounding the appointments. When asked about Kim Chae-hwan, the nominee for the head of the National Human Resources Development Institute, who has been criticized for past far-right remarks on YouTube, the office responded, "He has worked in the education sector and media, so he is skilled in communication. Especially since the Human Resources Development Institute provides re-education for public officials, we sought someone with excellent education and communication skills, and we believe this appointment is appropriate," avoiding detailed comments.

Regarding questions about Kim's past controversial false statements, such as claiming that the former Commander-in-Chief (former President Moon Jae-in) ordered soldiers to be used as subjects for live experiments, and whether it was appropriate for someone who spread fake news to educate public officials, the office replied, "The claim that 'fake news is used to educate public officials' is a one-sided assertion. Let's observe how the appointee leads going forward," they said.

On the appointment of former Busan High Prosecutor Kim Hong-il as Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, and criticism that this is another appointment of a legal professional, the office stated, "While the commission plays a role in preventing corruption, it also has functions for eradicating corruption and protecting citizens' rights. For these roles, legal professionals, especially judges or prosecutors with field experience, are suitable." They added, "We have seen critical media articles about appointing former prosecutors, but from the Presidential Office's perspective, every Monday morning we hold a daily briefing hosted by the Chief of Staff, and there is not a single former prosecutor present. Sometimes it can be uncomfortable," countering the notion that there are many former prosecutors in the office.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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