YOON’S REMARK ON EX-PRESIDENT STIRS DISPUTE

[Anchor Lead]

Former Prosecutor General and the opposition camp’s leading presidential hopeful Yoon Seok-youl has again stirred up a controversy by saying that ex-President Chun Doo-hwan was good at politics except for his role in the military coup and the oppression of the democratic movement in Gwangju in 1980. His remarks caused backlashes from not only the ruling Democratic Party but also his competitors within the People Power Party.

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​People Power Party presidential hopeful Yoon Seok-youl met with party members amid loud cheers. He said, if elected, he would place talented people in the right jobs, taking ex-President Chun Doo-hwan as an example.

[Soundbite] Yoon Seok-youl(People Power Party Presidential Candidate) : "Many people say that Chun Doo-hwan was good at politics although he had his faults like the military coup and the oppression of the May 18th democratic movement. Even a lot of people from the Honam region say that."

His remark seemed to defend Chun’s political style... prompting other presidential hopefuls from his own party to criticize him. They say “he has shot off his mouth again, he cannot relate to others as a human being, and he has forgotten the spirit of the Constitution.“ Opposition party leader Lee Jun-seok simply said that “the party is trying hard to win over the Honam region” and asked the candidates to be careful about what they say. He appears to be frustrated that all the efforts that went into courting the Honam region voters may come to naught. The Democratic Party demanded that Yoon apologize for what was deemed as praising Chun. Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said it is preposterous to say that a mass killer would be a good person if not for mass killing. Justice Party presidential candidate Sim Sang-jung added that Chun Doo-hwan is not someone whose achievements and mistakes can be distinguished. When the controversy mounted, Yoon explained that he meant to say a lesson can be learned from how Chun had delegated power.

[Soundbite] Yoon Seok-youl(People Power Party Presidential Candidate) : "Good achievements should be acknowledged. Didn’t I clearly say that he was wrong in regards to the democratic movement oppression and the military coup?"

Civic groups dedicated to the May 18th democratic movement in Gwangju questioned the sincerity of the PPP’s apology to the people of Gwangju and demanded that Yoon apologize for his remarks.