Opposition: "Yoon's 'Thoughtless Interview'... The Worst President in Korean Peninsula History"

by Kim Youngwon

Published 24 Apr.2023 18:26(KST)

The Democratic Party of Korea launched a fierce attack on June 24 against President Yoon Suk-yeol's remark in a foreign media interview that "Japan cannot be expected to kneel because of history from 100 years ago."

On the first day of his seven-day, five-night state visit to the United States, President Yoon was reported in an interview with the U.S. daily The Washington Post (WP) to have said regarding the restoration of Korea-Japan relations that cooperation could no longer be delayed due to the urgency of security issues.

On the 24th, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is entering the party leader's office at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, ahead of a high-level strategy meeting. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, met with reporters after a high-level strategy meeting at the National Assembly that afternoon and said, "It is an incomprehensible remark to the extent that one doubts whether it is the statement of the President of the Republic of Korea," adding, "It is truly embarrassing and disheartening." He continued, "As the president of the Republic of Korea who has suffered from decades of Japanese aggression, such remarks should never be made," and added, "It makes one reflect on what kind of historical awareness the president really has."

Lee also shared a link to an article containing President Yoon's related remarks on Twitter and wrote '......'.

Kim Min-seok, chairman of the Policy Committee, wrote on Facebook, "President Yoon's Washington Post interview. To start a visit to the U.S. with such reckless remarks is truly shameful on a global scale." Lawmaker Kim Yong-min also posted on Facebook along with a related article, calling him "the worst president in Korea's history within the last 100 years" and stating, "He cannot be regarded as the president of the Republic of Korea."

Lawmaker Park Yong-jin wrote on Facebook, "These remarks are so outrageous that even the Japanese prime minister's reckless comments would pale in comparison," adding, "The public will firmly believe that the president himself is the very problem Korea needs to decisively address due to his ignorant and thoughtless interview." He said, "The president made remarks that would make the blood of comfort women and forced labor victims boil," and urged, "Stop this parade of reckless remarks and completely overhaul the presidential office's diplomatic and security team."

Spokesperson Kang Sun-woo also pointed out in a briefing, "Which country's president is he to be representing Japan?" and said, "I am horrified by his perception of Japan's past. It is shocking that such words could come from the president's mouth."