Yeo Holds Special Lecture on 'Mad Cow Disease Rumors'... "Anti-Election Protest as Anti-Government Struggle"

Minkyung Woo, Co-Representative of the Alternative Coalition, Lecture
Figure Who Led the 2008 Anti-Mad Cow Disease Movement
Former Activist but Critiques the 'Undongkwon' Movement

The People Power Party, on the eve of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s final report on the safety assessment of Japan's Fukushima contaminated water discharge, has begun considering countermeasures against rumor spreading by attending a special lecture on the 'mad cow disease rumor.'

Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, stated at a party meeting held at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 3rd, "This is a time for the People Power Party to collectively consider how to respond to the false agitation by the Democratic Party of Korea."

Min Kyung-woo, co-representative of the Alternative Alliance, is giving a lecture on the dissemination routes of rumors and agitation and the response strategies at the People Power Party's members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 3rd. Min, a former secretary-general of the pro-North Korea organization National Alliance for the Country's Reunification, declared an ideological conversion after the "mad cow disease incident" and has been engaged in civil society activities criticizing the Jusa-pa and activist groups. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Yoon added, "Ahead of the IAEA announcement, we held a party meeting to listen to lectures by Min Kyung-woo, co-representative of the Alternative Coalition, and Shin Won-sik, secretary of the National Defense Committee related to the declaration of the end of the war, and to share thoughts on the situation. The IAEA standards are reliable international standards that even the previous Moon Jae-in administration pledged to follow, but the Democratic Party is already making statements this morning that could undermine the credibility of the IAEA by suggesting the announcement will be tailored to Japan," he said.

The lecture that day focused on opposition party rumors and agitation regarding Fukushima contaminated water. Min, who gave the lecture, was involved in the 2008 anti-mad cow disease movement. Yoon said, "Min is someone who has personally experienced and understands better than anyone the true face and side effects of false agitation. He will explain in detail how the false agitation that deceived the public during the mad cow disease incident occurred and what the damages were."

In his lecture, Min described the controversy over the Fukushima contaminated water discharge as "an anti-government struggle centered on election rejection." He added, "I don't think it is essential to view the 2008 struggle as a mad cow disease struggle. It was a massive anti-government struggle rejecting former President Lee Myung-bak's election victory," he explained.

Min continued, "The anti-Lee Myung-bak movement did not arise because of the mad cow disease issue; the movement to oust Lee Myung-bak came first, and the mad cow disease issue was added amid that atmosphere," emphasizing, "It was an anarchistic fight intertwined with calls for 'Lee Myung-bak impeachment.'"

Min also said, "Mad cow disease was a means to shout for Lee Myung-bak's resignation," and predicted, "I believe Fukushima will be the same, and only President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment and resignation remain."

Min also criticized the 'activist groups.' He pointed out, "The presidential election ended a year ago, but juniors who were active in the activist groups when they were young are holding candlelight protests in Gwanghwamun demanding the resignation of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The activist groups fundamentally see the conservative government as a target for overthrow because they believe the pro-Japanese faction must be purged. Therefore, there is a tradition of election rejection." Min, a former secretary-general of the pro-North Korea organization United National Democratic Front, declared a change of ideology after the mad cow disease incident.

He emphasized, "I hope to use this opportunity to put an end to rumor politics that started with mad cow disease and finish it with Fukushima."

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