hankyoreh

President Yoon Suk-yeol walks into the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on Sept. 26. (presidential office pool photo)

President Yoon Suk-yeol commented on the controversy surrounding his purported use of profanity during his trip to the US last week, stating that “damaging [South Korea’s] alliance through false reportage is akin to deeply endangering the public” while demanding an investigation into the initial media report.

This is expected to stir even more controversy, as Yoon went on the offensive by insinuating that the media jeopardized the South Korea-US alliance rather than eat crow for using language unbefitting the diplomatic stage.

Asked by reporters about his “hot mic moment” during his commute to the presidential office in Seoul’s Yongsan District on Monday, Yoon labeled the report about his unbecoming remarks “false news that damages [South Korea’s] alliance,” stating, “Aside from two to three world superpowers, no country can protect its citizens’ lives and safety solely based on its own capabilities. Therefore, alliances are crucial in protecting the lives and safety of a nation’s citizenry.”

As if conscious of criticism directed toward him regarding his apparent reference to lawmakers as “jackasses,” Yoon added, “Further discussion can be had once we get to the bottom of what happened,” before heading into his office.

“Because a diplomatic trip is like a ‘war without gunfire’ carried out in order to maximize a country’s national interest, false reports can have a direct negative impact on the public’s lives and safety,” said Lee Jae-myeong, the presidential office’s deputy, during an afternoon briefing. He added, “The message [Yoon] wanted to emphasize was that sacrificing [South Korea’s] alliance can endanger the public, and that the victims will be none other than the public.”

Following Yoon’s Monday statement, the leadership of the ruling People Power Party lent its support to the president by alleging the existence of collusive ties between MBC, the broadcaster that first broke the news regarding Yoon’s choice remarks, and the Democratic Party, threatening to sue the broadcaster’s president, Park Sung-jae, as well as figures responsible for the report for defamation.

In other words, the ruling camp totally ignored public opinion that Yoon should apologize for the fiasco, instead putting the blame on MBC.

An official at the presidential office also commented that Yoon wasn’t referring to local opposition parties when he used the word “jackasses,” reversing the office’s earlier stance. This move is being interpreted as intended to make the case that Yoon has no special need to apologize to the opposition.

Previously, Yoon’s press secretary, Kim Eun-hye, explained that Yoon’s remarks on Thursday during his trip were meant to express “concern that if [South Korea’s] majority-holding opposition, which has total control over budget deliberations, refuses to fulfill even the bare minimum when it comes to its responsibility towards the international community, the nation will not be able to keep appearances.”

Chae Jin-won, a professor at Kyung Hee University’s Institute of Public Governance, told the Hankyoreh, “Diverting attention from controversy surrounding his own impropriety of speech by framing it as a security issue and alleging [the media] of actions 'benefiting the enemy’ and negating the South Korea-US alliance is meant to divide the public and lower trust,” pointing out, “This is an outdated approach that seems like a strategy of evasion designed to consolidate the support base.”

By Kim Mi-na, staff reporter

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