Democratic Party Leader’s Comments on Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Spark Controversy

Comments have exploded in response to the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jae Myung’s remarks about Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

Opinions criticizing and supporting his remarks have clashed head-on.

According to a report by Yonhap News, Lee Jae-myung emphasized on the 19th, addressing President Yoon Suk Yeol, “We should not make the mistake of taking out the safety pin of peace, just to teach North Korea a bitter lesson …”

Lee stated at the party’s supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly on the same day, “Maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula is a matter of the economy and the lives of people in South Korea.

“We must change our hostile and hardline policy stance on the North. We need to find a way to reduce tension. We cannot achieve peace and prosperity through an aggressive approach. If we respond to a neighbor throwing stones by throwing an even larger stone and causing greater harm, what benefit would that bring us?” Lee questioned.

He further emphasized, “Anyone can react harshly. It is fundamentally necessary to fight and win, but we should not fight. Maintaining peace is the real skill.”

Lee also mentioned North Korea’s Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

“North Korean leader Kim Jong Un should immediately stop its missile provocations and put an end to its hostile acts. As more reckless provocations continue, it will only lead to further isolation of the regime and intensify the suffering of its people,” he said.

He then urged, “He must make efforts so as not to undermine the efforts of his predecessors, such as Kim Jong Il  and Kim Il Sung.”

Netizens criticizing Lee pointed out that his remark about “the efforts of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il” was inappropriate. On the other hand, netizens supporting him emphasized that we should not distort the intention of his remark that both South and North Korea should make efforts for peace in the Korean Peninsula.