"Is It a Crime to Offend the Supreme Dignity?"...Joo Jinwoo Pushes Back Against Democratic Party's Threat to File Complaint

Criticism Over Variety Show Appearance During National Data Network Paralysis
"Presidential Office Concealed Filming Date, Issued False Briefing," Claims Assemblyman

The political sphere is embroiled in a heated clash over the appearance of the presidential couple on an entertainment program aired on the night of Chuseok. After it became known that President Lee Jaemyung and First Lady Kim Hyekyung appeared on the JTBC variety show "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator," the issue escalated into a series of lawsuits and accusations between the People Power Party, which raised concerns, and the Democratic Party, which pushed back.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung are sending holiday greetings through a video message dressed in hanbok on the second day of the Chuseok holiday on the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News

Joo Jinwoo, a member of the People Power Party, stated on his social media on the 5th, "The presidential office and the Democratic Party, who should be focusing on disaster recovery, are repeatedly making false accusations," and added, "I will hold them criminally responsible." This was in response to the Democratic Party's chief spokesperson Park Suhyeon, who earlier that day announced, "We strongly express our regret to the People Power Party for persistently spreading false information about the president even during Chuseok, and we will file a complaint against Assemblyman Joo."

Assemblyman Joo sarcastically asked, "On what charges does the Democratic Party intend to accuse me? Is it for offending the supreme dignity?" He criticized the timing of President Lee's variety show filming on September 28, stating that it took place when the national data network was paralyzed and the recovery rate was less than 5 percent. He further argued, "President Lee should have gone to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters first to check the server network, not the refrigerator on a TV show."

He also accused the presidential office and the ruling party of obscuring the core issue, stating, "The presidential office gave a false briefing to hide the timing of the filming, and the Democratic Party announced a misleading, false accusation to push ahead with the broadcast." He added, "On the 6th, I will file criminal complaints against presidential spokesperson Kang Yujeong and spokesperson Park Suhyeon for defamation by spreading false information and for false accusation."

In connection with this controversy, "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator," which was initially scheduled to air on Sunday, October 5, will now be broadcast at 10 p.m. on the 6th, following a request from the presidential office to JTBC to postpone the airing by one day.

Joo Jinwoo, a member of the People Power Party, stated, "The presidential office and the Democratic Party, who should be focusing on disaster recovery, are excessively filing false accusations," and added, "I will hold them criminally responsible."

Previously, the presidential office requested the postponement of the broadcast out of respect for the public official who died in the fire at the National Information Resources Service, and JTBC reportedly accepted this request.

The political confrontation is intensifying. The People Power Party is strongly criticizing President Lee for participating in the variety show immediately after the disaster, while the Democratic Party is calling this a "distortion" and is taking legal action.

Jang Donghyeok, a supreme council member of the People Power Party, wrote on his social media on the 5th, "I wonder what the president was thinking, filming a variety show in the midst of a serious national disaster. I am more curious about what is in the president's mind than what is in his refrigerator."

Assemblyman Joo also posted on social media the same day, "The time of the variety show filming was just 18 hours after the fire was extinguished, during the critical golden time for early recovery." He pointed out, "On September 28, the first Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting was scheduled late at 5:30 p.m. because of 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator.'" He also mentioned the death of a public official involved in the recovery efforts, stating, "A public official lost their life due to overnight recovery orders and pressure from the president to avoid blame. This is an occupational accident."

The Democratic Party is pushing back, labeling the People Power Party's claims as "smear campaigns." Chief spokesperson Park Suhyeon stated in a written briefing, "We strongly express our regret to the People Power Party for persistently spreading false information about the president even during Chuseok. The Democratic Party will immediately file a complaint against Assemblyman Joo."

The Democratic Party also countered by pointing out that the budget for preventing data network accidents was cut during the Yoon Sukyeol administration, arguing that the previous government also bears responsibility for the fire incident. That afternoon, the Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against Assemblyman Joo Jinwoo for defamation.