Minister Choi Dongseok Apologizes for Hurtful Remarks, Vows Greater Caution in Words and Actions

Choi Dongsuk, Commissioner of the Ministry of Personnel Management, is attending the plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee held on the 22nd and responding to members' inquiries. Photo by Yonhap News

Choi Dongseok, the Minister of Personnel Management who was embroiled in a controversy over his harsh remarks, apologized on the 29th, stating, "From now on, I will conduct myself with greater caution in both words and actions, and uphold the standards expected of a public official by the people."

On this day, Minister Choi issued an official apology, saying, "As a citizen who has sharply criticized public officials, I would like to express my regret to those who may have been hurt by my criticisms."

He went on to say, "I have consistently confronted various issues in our society and among high-ranking public officials, and I have persistently voiced criticism in pursuit of a better Korea. However, I acknowledge that some of my harsh expressions during this process may have caused concern to many of you."

Minister Choi also stated, "Now that I have become a high-ranking public official as the Minister of Personnel Management, I believe it is time for me to accept your criticism. If I make any mistakes in the future, I will humbly accept your feedback."

Before becoming Minister, Choi was found to have criticized President Moon Jaein and other ruling party figures on platforms such as YouTube. In June, he said on YouTube that "Moon Jaein is the source of all the suffering our people are experiencing today."

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