"I Cannot Stay Silent, I Declare"… Moon's Resolute Rebuttal to India Trip Controversy

"Presidential Trip Expenses Executed by Relevant Ministries"
"Luxury In-flight Meals Absolutely Not Allowed"
"First Lady Kim Jung-sook Reluctantly Attended After Persuasion"

Former President Moon Jae-in strongly rebutted on the 5th regarding First Lady Kim Jung-sook's trip to India. Regarding Kim's trip, which has been compared to a leisure trip, Moon explained that she was "pushed to go." He expressed dismay toward the ruling party, which raised issues about the trip's process and costs, saying, "How would the Indian side, who sincerely worked for the development of bilateral relations, feel about this?"

On the 5th, former President Moon clarified his position through social media (SNS), stating, "Regarding the recent controversy, if one understands state affairs, this petty dispute would be impossible. I thought it would die down, but seeing the controversy escalate, I cannot remain silent and will clarify some basic facts."

First, addressing the criticism that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism budget was used for the trip, he explained, "The overseas trip expenses of the presidential couple are budgeted and executed by the relevant ministries, and the Blue House does not intervene in budgeting or execution at all." He added, "If there are doubts about the budget or expenses, those should be directed to the relevant ministries." Regarding the excessively high in-flight meal costs, he said, "In-flight meals on the presidential aircraft during overseas trips are provided as sets, just like on regular passenger planes." He added, "It is impossible to order or consume more luxurious meals beyond the provided set. The idea of ultra-luxury in-flight meals is fundamentally impossible." If the total in-flight meal cost seems high, it is a matter for Korean Air or the relevant ministries to explain. Moon sharply criticized, "The person who ate the in-flight meal, which was only offered with the choice of a Korean set or Western set, rice or bread, is being confronted with 'You ate ultra-luxury in-flight meals?' just because the total cost seems high. What kind of situation is this?"

Former President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook are paying their respects at the grave of the late President Roh Moo-hyun during the 15th anniversary memorial service held on the afternoon of the 23rd of last month in Bongha Village, Gimhae, Gyeongnam.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, he added, "The cost of in-flight meals on the presidential aircraft during overseas trips inevitably differs from that of regular aircraft meals." He explained, "Because the meals are not prepared repeatedly in large quantities with the same composition but are prepared once with a new composition, additional costs such as labor arise. Also, since the flight departs from Seoul Airport, fixed costs related to transporting and loading meals increase regardless of the number of people."

Furthermore, regarding First Lady Kim's trip, he said, "My wife's trip to India was not something she wanted." He added, "Which wife in the world would want to attend as the main guest at a distant, unfamiliar country's unfamiliar region's unfamiliar event, delivering a congratulatory speech in front of a crowd, without her husband, the president, especially when she is not accustomed to diplomacy or meeting foreigners?" Moon said, "Despite the Indian side's request, I was unable to go, so it was initially decided that the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism would lead the delegation. However, since the Indian side continuously hoped for my visit, and for the development of Korea-India relations, the diplomatic authorities repeatedly recommended that at least my wife go instead. After consulting with the Indian side, several people, including myself, persuaded my wife, and she was pushed to go." He criticized, "Even though the ministry that proposed my wife's trip and the ministry that accompanied her are perfectly fine, now insulting my wife by saying she had ultra-luxury in-flight meals or bucket-list tourism?what on earth is this?"

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