Lee Jae-myung: "Yoon Administration Forgets Spirit of March 1st Movement... Repeats Regressive Attempts"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized President Yoon Suk-yeol's foreign policy on March 1st, the Samiljeol holiday, saying, "The ruthless regime is forgetting and even damaging the spirit of the March 1st Movement, which is the root of the Republic of Korea."

Lee stated on Facebook, "The Yoon Suk-yeol administration's 'submissive diplomacy' has returned as Japan's repeated denial of past history and threats to territorial sovereignty," and pointed out, "Not only has it driven a nail into the hearts of forced labor victims, but there have also been repeated regressive attempts to impose ideological colors on the noble independence movement of our ancestors."

Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

원본보기 아이콘

He also recalled, "The March 1st Movement is not just a past preserved in history. Whenever arrogant power tried to defeat the people, the people united and gathered strength to set the country right," adding, "The desperate plea that we must decide our own destiny is being asked by the passionate history of 105 years ago to us today." This statement bolstered calls to judge the Yoon Suk-yeol administration ahead of the general election in about a month.

He further emphasized the power of history and public sentiment, saying, "No power can ever defeat the people, nor can it go against the mighty current of history." He pledged, "We will properly respond to the dedication of our ancestors who never lost their dream of self-reliance and their desire for a free and equal country even in the face of harsh hardships," and vowed, "Beyond 105 years, we will once again listen to the cries of the spring day of 1919, the year of Gimi."

On the same day, Lee attended the 105th anniversary Samiljeol commemorative ceremony held at the Yu Gwan-sun Memorial Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, and then visited the Independence Heroes' Cemetery at Hyochang Park in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to pay respects. Recently, the Democratic Party has been embroiled in controversy over candidate nominations. Following the cut-off of Im Jong-seok, a representative pro-Moon Jae-in faction member and former presidential chief of staff, even Hong Young-pyo, a four-term lawmaker from Bupyeong-eul, Incheon, was cut off, intensifying the so-called 'Myungmoon (Lee Jae-myung and Moon Jae-in) clash.'

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.