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Kim Moo-sung’s ‘tour of criticism’

Posted August. 13, 2016 07:07,   

Updated August. 13, 2016 07:16

한국어

Former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton took on a "listening tour" after declaring her presidential bid in 2015. If it was done in Korea, it would be dubbed "tour for inspecting people’s livelihoods." She used a van for the tour to give the image of humbleness, but the Republican Party criticized this: “Hillary needs two airplanes when taking a tour. One is for her and her entourage, and the other is for carrying luggage…” They attacked Hillary’s attempt to act as if she was "working class," despite her single lecture earning more than her open primary rival Bernie Sanders’ annual salary.”

Kim Moo-sung, former chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, started a tour for inspecting people’s livelihoods on August 1. He uploaded photos of him doing laundry manually at a village hall in front of the late President Kim Young-sam’s birth home in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province on August 4, which drew public attention. In the picture, Kim is seen spreading his legs while clad in short pants and tank top worn inside out. Commenting on the photo featuring a wooden laundry plate, a broadcaster criticized him, saying, “Isn’t there a laundry machine in the village hall?” adding, “After all, the photo is meant to wash his own image.” Rep. Chung Woo-taek, a member of the pro-Park Geun-hye faction,” said, “Photos also included an image of him washing his underwear, which is a bit embarrassing.”

On Thursday, Kim Moo-sung unleashed a flurry of critical remarks in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province. “Korea’s presidential election is like electing an emperor,” Kim said. “We have to change the imperialistic presidential system into a democratic one. If this continues, the country will collapse.” He criticized hardline members of the pro-Park Geun-hye faction, saying that it was himself who initially formed the pro-Park faction, but that they constantly labeled him to be "non-Park (non-Park Geun-hye faction)." He also said that it was absurd and nonsense to see guys who joined the pro-Park faction only recently make remarks insulting me, (former) party chairman, and to see them scramble to follow and flatter the faction.”

“A minister was back-stepping after learning that he was not supposed to show his back to the president, stumbled on the carpet and fell off,” Kim added critical remarks against the presidential office. “This is just a comedy show.” Korean politicians tend to especially focus on "tours through walking, visiting and experiencing," ranging from former Gyeonggi Governor Sohn Hak-kyu who staged a 100-day journey into people’s livelihoods, to former Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo who took on a tour for inspecting people’s livelihoods as a taxi driver. It is a good idea to try to find answers among people on site, but if such activities are showy events aimed at garnering support for the presidential election, few citizens will be cheated easily by them.



고미석기자 mskoh119@donga.com