Jung Cheongrae's "Oppa" Controversy Not the First... "Cheongrae Oppa" Video from a Year Ago Resurfaces

Controversy Over Urging Young Girl to Call Him "Oppa"
Last Year, Also Insisted on "Oppa Fighting" During Lee's Presidential Campaign

Past statements and actions by Jung Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, have come under renewed scrutiny after he apologized for causing controversy by pressuring a young elementary school girl to call him "oppa" during a campaign event.

Screenshot of Chung Cheongrae's SNS

According to political sources on May 5, a short video titled "Cheongrae Oppa Begins," uploaded to the YouTube channel "Jung Cheongrae TV Is On!" on May 17 last year, shows Jung visiting Damyang, South Jeolla Province, to campaign for presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. In the video, Jung is seen holding a young woman's hand and insisting that she call him "Cheongrae Oppa."

When the women hesitated and said, "Cheongrae Oppa, fighting," Jung appeared dissatisfied, responding, "How can you do it so forced?" and asked, "Do it again, naturally."

One woman tried to politely refuse by saying, "I'm a public servant," explaining that she could not openly support a particular political party. However, Jung replied, "It's fine," and once again urged her to chant, "Cheongrae Oppa, fighting."

In the end, the woman, who had revealed that she was a public servant, chanted only "Fighting," omitting Jung's name, to which Jung responded, "Thank you," before leaving the scene.

Previously, Jung was embroiled in controversy when, while visiting Gupo Market to support Ha Jungwoo, former Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning and a candidate in the Busan Buk-gu Gap by-election, he told a first-grade elementary school girl to say, "Jungwoo Oppa." At the time, candidate Ha, standing next to Jung, also chimed in with "Oppa."

Opposition parties and women's organizations criticized Jung's behavior, and as the controversy grew, both Jung and Ha issued an official apology, stating, "We sincerely apologize to the child and her parents, who must have been hurt by becoming the center of controversy during our visit to Gupo Market."

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