Sangmin Lee: "Eunkyung Kim's Remarks Are Absurd... Can Innovation Come from Such Awareness and Attitude?"

Kim Eun-kyung, Chair of the Democratic Party Innovation Committee, sparked controversy over 'elderly disparagement' after saying at a roundtable, "Why should those with a shorter future vote one-on-one?" Rep. Lee Sang-min of the Democratic Party criticized the remark as "too absurd," pointing out that Kim's verbal blunders are not a one-time occurrence.

On the 1st, on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' Rep. Lee said, "Whether in politics or various fields of society, is it ignorance or a deeply flawed perception?" and added, "Saying that voting rights should differ according to age or remaining lifespan is extremely unreasonable and counterintuitive."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 30th of last month, Chair Kim introduced her son's opinion during a roundtable with young people in their 20s and 30s at a cafe in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, saying, "Voting should be proportional from one's age to remaining lifespan, from a mother's age to remaining lifespan," and asked, "Isn't that quite rational?" She then acknowledged the practical difficulties of "one person, one vote" in a democratic country but stated, "Why should those with a shorter future vote one-on-one?" which sparked controversy.

The Innovation Committee responded to the controversy by denying it, saying, "The intent of the remarks was distorted." Rep. Lee commented, "They should not have provided such an excuse," and added, "When speaking, one must be cautious, consider the context thoroughly, and speak carefully. Constantly blaming others or the media for distortion or division is a very bad habit."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also criticized the fact that Kim's verbal blunders are not isolated incidents. He said, "It is hard not to feel insulted when the Democratic Party is called a dysfunctional family or a ragtag group, and first-term lawmakers are likened to students with learning loss due to COVID-19." He also pointed out remarks by Innovation Committee members, saying, "The Innovation Committee is an organization based on the Lee Jae-myung leadership, so calling them Lee Jae-myung's protectors is not wrong," or words to that effect.

When asked by the host about 'the cause of repeated verbal blunders,' he replied, "I wonder if it's even worth analyzing that," and said, "With such perceptions and attitudes, I doubt whether they can take the lead in the role of innovating the Democratic Party."

Regarding former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon's emphasis on 'innovation' during a meeting with Lee Jae-myung and interpretations within the party that this was a criticism of Kim Eun-kyung's Innovation Committee, he said, "Innovation is not an exclusive right of the Innovation Committee," and added, "Any party member can advocate for innovation, make efforts, and work together. Whether someone does it better or more diligently depends on that, and it should not be considered an exclusive domain."

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