Sungyun Lee's "Juseokyacheong" Remarks Spark Controversy... Pro-Lee Camp Criticizes "Trivializing a Tragic History"

Yong Kim: "An Apology Is Owed to the Victims in Honam"

Younggil Song: "This Is Appalling"

Sungyun Lee Responds: "It Means There Are Many Swing Voters... Do Not Distort the Meaning"

Supreme Council candidate Seongyun Lee, who is running in the Democratic Party's August 17th National Convention, is facing backlash from pro-Lee Jae-myung (pro-Myung) candidates over his comment on social networking services (SNS) referencing "Juseokyacheong" (Kim Minseok by day, Jung Chungrae by night).

On August 7, candidate Yong Kim cited Lee’s comment on SNS, saying, “Many citizens in Honam are reminded of the tragedy of ‘the Taegukgi by day, the North Korean flag by night’ by this expression. Their sorrow has turned to anger.” He continued, “Delete the post immediately and apologize to the citizens of Honam and the families of the victims.”

Photo by Seongyun Lee, captured from the Facebook page of Democratic Party Supreme Council candidate

Kim added, “During the Yeosun 10·19 Incident and in the periods before and after the Korean War, Honam residents had to change the flags they flew by day and by night just to survive between the military police and armed groups,” and “From Yeosu and Suncheon to the areas around Jirisan and Seomjingang, the blood and tears remain throughout Honam.”

He further stated, “You used this painful history as a wordplay for a factional election, saying ‘Kim Minseok by day, Jung Chungrae by night.’ The tragedy of Honam is not your election tool.”

Party leader candidate Younggil Song criticized, “Without any contribution, you are enjoying the benefits. Lacking historical awareness, you speak carelessly as if party members are nothing more than mobilization targets or voting machines. How can someone of such poor caliber serve as Supreme Council member, let alone aspire to do so again? It is truly appalling.”

Supreme Council candidate Mi-ae Lim commented, “Jung Chungrae said, ‘Enlightened citizens of Yeongnam are moving to Honam,’ dismissing Honam party members as still unenlightened. Now, Seongyun Lee has taken it further,” and questioned, “‘Juseokyacheong’—what does that even mean? Are you drawing an analogy between Honam party members and the painful history when, due to the threat of partisans, people’s lives alternated between being with Korea by day and the Communist Party by night?”

Lim continued, “No matter how urgent the situation, there must be respect for party members. How can a candidate who pays lip service to party democracy, yet shows no respect for members, possibly support the Lee Jae-myung administration?”

As the controversy grew, Seongyun Lee posted again on SNS, explaining, “‘Juseokyacheong’ means that there is still a large undecided group in Honam who have not yet made their choice. Do not misinterpret my words.”

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