Past “Chunhyangjeon Remarks” Resurfaced… “No Sense of Gender Equality” Harsh Criticism
On the first day of the official presidential election campaign for the 21st presidential election, Kim Moon-soo, the candidate from the People Power Party, visits Garak Market in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and eats pork and rice soup with merchants. / Photo = Yonhap News
Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party’s presidential candidate, faced backlash after making a sexist remark about fellow party member Rep. Bae Hyun-jin, calling her “Miss Garak Market.” The Democratic Party rebuked him, asking, “Does candidate Kim Moon-soo see a female member of his party as a mere ornament?”
In a briefing on the 13th, Democratic Party spokesperson Han Min-soo stated, “Candidate Kim Moon-soo showcased his true colors as a blunderer right from the first day of his campaign.” Han criticized Kim for his “Miss Garak Market” comment, indicating that it displayed a discriminatory view of women as decorative objects.
Han continued, “Candidate Kim was criticized for numerous derogatory remarks about women, including the ‘Chunhyangjeon remark’ when he was the governor of Gyeonggi Province in 2011, yet he shows no signs of improvement. This raises suspicion that his discriminatory views on women are an incurable chronic issue.”
In 2011, as governor of Gyeonggi Province, Kim caused controversy by saying, “What is Chunhyangjeon about? Isn’t it about Byeon Sa-do trying to exploit Chunhyang?”
Furthermore, spokesperson Han criticized Kim for remaining silent without explanation or apology following the controversy, noting, “If Kim is still unaware that his views on women are wrong, that is an even more serious problem.”
Han further said, “Having a candidate with such a backward view on women running for presidency, claiming to be responsible for South Korea’s future, is absurd.”
Han urged, “Unless he plans on ruining the presidential election with his blunders, Kim should apologize immediately, restrain from making such remarks, and stand before the public with reestablished gender equality awareness.”
The Democratic Party’s Central Election Committee’s Women’s Headquarters also issued a statement the same day, stating, “The Miss Korea pageant was criticized and removed from terrestrial TV over 20 years ago for commodifying and objectifying women,” and criticized Kim’s “poor gender sensitivity.”
On the first day of the official election campaign on the 12th, candidate Kim created controversy by suggesting during a rally at Garak Market that Rep. Bae Hyun-jin be appointed as an ambassador for the market, calling her “Miss Garak Market.” Rep. Bae is the National Assembly member for the Songpa-eul district, where the market is located.