"Yoon's Excessive Security, Silencing the People?"... Fierce Opposition Attack Over KAIST Graduation Controversy

On the 16th, at the degree conferment ceremony of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), a graduate who shouted at President Yoon Suk-yeol during his congratulatory speech was forcibly removed by the presidential security team, who lifted the graduate by the limbs. This incident has sparked strong criticism from opposition parties.

Photo by Presidential Office Press Photographers Group

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Kang Sun-woo, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, said at a National Assembly briefing on the 17th, "It is outrageous that after squandering the R&D budget while talking about cartels, the president shamelessly attended the KAIST graduation ceremony, and then silenced the graduate and dragged them out by the limbs." She added, "We are living in a tragic and sorrowful era under President Yoon's 'silencing' government."

Regarding the presidential office's stance that "it was an unavoidable measure to separate the disruptive individual," she said, "There is a limit even if a guest acts like the host," and likened the incident to "the resurrection of the 'Baekgoltan,' who supported military regimes through violence." She criticized, "Is any discomfort to President Yoon's feelings considered a harmful act? This is not excessive suppression but assault and a violation of citizens' basic rights," calling it "the extreme of a reign of terror."

She questioned, "The Constitution of the Republic of Korea guarantees freedom of the press, so why does President Yoon keep silencing the people?" and claimed, "This is why the phrase 'the revival of Yoon Doo-hwan' is circulating." Toward the end of the briefing, she compared the situation to a special interview on the first anniversary of former President Roh Moo-hyun's inauguration, who said, "Strong leadership is only possible with the consent of the people, not through intimidating power."

Yang Hyang-ja, floor leader of the Reform New Party, also wrote on Facebook, "The KAIST student who demanded the restoration of the R&D budget was dragged out, causing outrage among South Korea's scientists and engineers." She said, "The cry of 'Why did you cut the R&D budget while claiming to support science and technology?' is the question of all scientists and engineers." She urged, "Answer that question now," and wrote, "What the president dragged out was not just one student but science, technology, and the future of South Korea."

On the previous day, Shin Min-ki, spokesperson for the Green Justice Party's Daejeon branch and a graduate of KAIST's doctoral program in computer science, attended the ceremony and shouted at President Yoon, "Restore the R&D (Research and Development) budget." He was silenced by plainclothes security guards, lifted by the limbs, and expelled from the graduation hall.

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