Lee Jun-seok "Pro-Japan Policy on Liberation Day... Inappropriate Timing and Place"

Former People Power Party Leader, YTN Radio Interview
"4·3 Memorial Ceremony Future Job Talk, Shouting Occurred"
"Person Writing Presidential Office Messages Should Be Fired"

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok criticized President Yoon Suk-yeol's Liberation Day congratulatory speech, saying, "I understand the policy of fostering friendly relations with Japan, but the message delivered on Liberation Day mentioned Japan excessively."

Lee appeared on YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' on the 16th and said, "I keep saying someone in the presidential office who writes the messages should be fired, but this keeps happening."

Former Lee Jun-seok, former leader of the People Power Party. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee shared an anecdote from when he attended the Jeju 4·3 Memorial Ceremony this year, saying, "I think messages appropriate to the time and place are important." He explained, "The president couldn't attend, so Prime Minister Han Duck-soo read the memorial address, but suddenly there was talk about future jobs in Jeju Island. I was sitting there and heard loud voices from behind."

He continued, "The 4·3 Memorial Ceremony is like a memorial day for the victims in Jeju. While future jobs in Jeju are important, that is not a message to be delivered at the 4·3 Memorial Ceremony," he pointed out.

Regarding the ruling party's atmosphere ahead of next year's general election, Lee said, "Even when people talk about a crisis in the metropolitan area elections, the party leadership doesn't even realize it's a crisis. Since there is no one from the metropolitan area in the party leadership, no one feels it and they just waste time."

He added, "Probably the people in the leadership, such as Kim Ki-hyun from Ulsan and Lee Cheol-gyu, Secretary-General from Donghae, Gangwon Province, are just thinking, 'We should stay quiet so that no one tells us to go to the metropolitan area because of reckless remarks.' If they are told to go to the metropolitan area and campaign, everyone will be as quiet as a mouse," he said.

Lee, who expressed his intention to run in Nowon District, Seoul, in next year's general election, emphasized, "Some tell me to go to Jeolla Province, others say Gyeongsang Province, but I have never considered it. However, if they play games with the nominations, I have no reason to stay still and endure it; I will respond proactively. I am saying that I can go anywhere and do anything."

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