Cheon Ha-ram: "The President Going to Seoul Won't Change the Situation? A Wrong Message"

Cheon Ha-ram Party Branch Chairman KBS Radio Interview
"Yoon Mentioned 'Disaster Control Tower = President' Several Times"

Cheon Haram, the People Power Party's Jeonnam Suncheon-gap district committee chairman, criticized the message from the presidential office that President Yoon Seok-yeol cannot change the situation even if he immediately goes to Seoul, calling it a "very wrong message."

On the 17th, Cheon appeared on KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs' and said, "Hasn't the president mentioned several times that he is actually the control tower for all disasters?"

Cheon Haram, Chairman of the People Power Party Suncheon Gap District Committee. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Earlier, on the 16th (local time), a presidential office official said at a briefing in Warsaw, Poland, in response to reporters' questions about whether the president considered canceling his visit to Ukraine amid the expanding domestic heavy rain damage, "At that time (the evening of the 14th), it seemed there would be no opportunity to visit Ukraine until the war ends, so a decision had to be made."

Regarding President Yoon's visit to Ukraine, Cheon said, "In terms of practical benefits like reconstruction projects and also in terms of justification, considering that we were invaded in the past and have come this far through international efforts, it is something that can be sufficiently agreed upon," but added, "There is a regret that it would have been better if he had shown a more sensitive response to domestic issues."

He continued, "There are things to say and things not to say," and said, "In various diplomatic matters, it was somewhat difficult to completely cancel the visit to Ukraine suddenly. We ask for the public's understanding, and if a message had been delivered with a lower posture, saying that we responded well centered on the Prime Minister, wouldn't that have been better?"

Regarding the controversy over First Lady Kim Geon-hee's luxury shopping, he said, "For example, if another foreign leader visits South Korea, it is possible that the spouse of the foreign leader might shop in South Korea," but added, "Considering the current situation of floods and heavy rain damage domestically..."

He pointed out, "It is natural to have doubts about whether such a schedule was absolutely necessary," and said, "There are reports from the local side that she visited not just one store but several. If that is the case, the claim that it was due to solicitation is very unconvincing."

Furthermore, Cheon said, "Most of the public would rather understand if a humble message was delivered, saying, 'We were a bit thoughtless. It was not the time to go shopping,'" and added, "If somewhat unconvincing excuses or justifications come out, it becomes even harder for the public to accept. So I think it is much better to just clearly acknowledge the parts that need to be acknowledged and move on."

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