[Reporter’s Notebook] Misogynistic Remarks and the Overlooked 'Right to Be Forgotten'

During the third debate of the 21st presidential election held on May 27, a reporter's fingers, busy writing an article, suddenly stopped. This was due to the surprising 'chopsticks remark' made by Lee Junseok, the candidate of the Reform New Party. After the debate, Lee was pushed into a defensive position by women's organizations, the Democratic Party of Korea, and the Democratic Labor Party, who accused him of 'misogyny' and called for his resignation. On May 28, Lee apologized to the public, but explained that his remarks were necessary for verifying the opposing candidate.

At a press conference the next day, Lee reiterated, "I quoted one of Mr. Lee's (the son of candidate Lee Jaemyung) posts, changing the wording to something relatively value-neutral. However, because the original expressions were so extremely vulgar and obscene, there were limits to how much I could refine and moderate them." He added, "I sincerely apologize once again to those who felt uncomfortable, even with my efforts to tone it down." Nevertheless, Lee posted an article on social media containing allegations of criminal punishment involving Lee Jaemyung's family, once again bringing up his chopsticks remark.

There is no need to go as far as to frame Lee's remarks as 'misogyny.' The first thought that came to mind after hearing his comment was, "What about the victims who are forced to relive those words?" Even now, the insulting posts from that time are spreading, making people aware of them who previously had no knowledge.

With the development of the internet and media in the 2000s, sexual and insulting videos, photos, and writings have been reproduced and spread, disregarding individual rights to personality. This led to a rapid spread of discussions about the 'right to be forgotten.' After the highest court in Europe first recognized the 'right to be forgotten' in 2014, countries around the world have allowed victims to request deletion from internet portals and media. However, even when deleted, such content often resurfaces online over time, reopening wounds for victims. Lee should have first apologized to the victims who may have suffered anew from being reminded of the sexually violent content directed at him.

The political community and other presidential candidates are not free from responsibility in this controversy. On May 27, Cho Seungrae, chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party's election committee, told reporters, "It was confirmed three years ago that this was not true," and claimed, "It has been revealed as a clear falsehood." The Democratic Party, regarding the court ruling involving Lee Jaemyung's family, has offered no clear explanation and is only calling for Lee Junseok's resignation. Without an appropriate explanation, the controversy continues to smolder.

Kwon Youngguk, a human rights lawyer and candidate, along with the Democratic Labor Party, are focusing solely on the misogyny frame, showing no concern for the equally important issue of the right to be forgotten. Kim Moonsoo, who had hoped to unify his candidacy with Lee, and the People Power Party, are hesitant to offer stern criticism regarding this incident. It raises the question of whether all major presidential candidates are prioritizing political calculations. They must clearly recognize that repeated political controversy can only increase the suffering of the victims.

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