President Yoon Suk-yeol enters the presidential office building in Seoul, Thursday. Newsis

Opposition politicians condemn remarks as unacceptable

By Jung Min-ho

President Yoon Suk-yeol isn't backing down despite criticism from opposition parties.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Yoon doubled down on his previous remarks that he would fight what he calls a "pro-North Korea Jucheist faction."

When asked who he was referring to by the description, Yoon said, "They themselves know whether they are a 'jusa-pa' (Jucheist faction). I was not targeting any specific group. I made the statement as a person in a position to defend the country and the Constitution."

"Jusa-pa" refers to a faction of followers of Juche ideology, North Korea's official ideology of self-reliance that includes unconditional loyalty to its leader.

At a luncheon Wednesday with officials of his ruling People Power Party, Yoon used the term "pro-North Korea Jucheist faction," to allude to the opposition here, saying it is an anti-state group that is against the Constitution, which he would never cooperate with. Presidential press aides later explained that he made the remarks when he was talking about North Korea's recent weapons tests.

Yet, opposition politicians immediately denounced Yoon for the comment, saying that he is trying to paint his liberal political rivals as followers of North Korea's regime and demanding him be more specific about whom he was referring to.

"If Yoon was referring to the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), that is unacceptable," Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the main opposition party said during an SBS radio show. "If not, he needs to clarify whom specifically he was referring to."

Jin also criticized Yoon for keeping Kim Moon-soo as the head of the Economic, Social and Labor Council under the president, even after his controversial description of former President Moon Jae-in as a "Kim Il-sungist," or follower of late North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung. The DPK responded by saying that it will take his claim during the parliamentary audit ― possibly perjury ― to court. Rep. Chung Jin-suk, interim leader of the ruling party, defended Kim, saying he is not the only person who suspects so, given the previous administration's policy of trying to engage Pyongyang in dialogue almost blindly rather than condemning the North for its growing nuclear threat.

Yoon's remarks on the "pro-North Korea Jucheist faction" might have been aimed to unite the party at a time when he is struggling with dismal approval ratings. However, given the situation and his personality, it probably was spontaneous, according to Lee Jun-han, a professor of politics at Incheon National University.

"Ruling party politicians may expect that such aggressive remarks are good for Yoon's approval ratings when North Korea is intensifying its provocations. But, such framing efforts ― recently highlighted by Kim Moon-soo's comments ― have had a limited impact on polls so far," Lee told The Korea Times.

Some experts believe that what triggered Yoon was the DPK's attacks on the government's joint military drills with Japan. Throughout the ongoing Assembly audit over the past two weeks, DPK lawmakers have chastised the administration for participating in the trilateral naval exercises with Japan (as well as with the U.S.) while refraining from criticism of North Korea's growing aggression and direct nuclear threats to South Korea.

Lee agreed, saying, "It's a framing war. As liberal politicians easily resort to attacking conservatives as 'pro-Japan,' conservatives do the same questioning their ideology, as it is a convenient way to win political points."

But in the long run, Lee said, Yoon has more to lose than gain with such political tactics and aggressive rhetoric toward the opposition party.

"As president, he should adjust to the changing political situation, including the relations with the North. Later, he may have to negotiate for peace," he said. "Moreover, given that the DPK holds the majority in the Assembly, if Yoon is to accomplish anything meaningful and lasting, he should negotiate with them … He should be more circumspect about the words he uses."