Controversial youth rally group

[Anchor]

There is controversy surrounding the fact that People Power Party lawmaker Kim Min-jeon facilitated a press conference for a youth organization that is holding a rally to protect the presidential residence.

The opposition party condemned this, pointing out that these youths refer to themselves as the 'Baekgoldan,' a group that violently suppressed past protesters, and criticized the inappropriate nature of the press conference.

Bang Jun-won reports.

[Report]

Young people wearing white helmets entered the National Assembly press conference room.

They introduced themselves as a group voluntarily organized to prevent the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

[Kim Jung-hyun/Leader of Anti-Communist Youth Corps: "We have decided to officially name the organization the Anti-Communist Youth Corps. The Baekgoldan will operate as a subordinate organization of the Anti-Communist Youth Corps."]

Lawmaker Kim Min-jeon, who facilitated the press conference, stood alongside them.

[Kim Min-jeon/People Power Party lawmaker: "In a world where public authority is threatened, these ordinary youths are truly trying to express their opinions peacefully..."]

The opposition criticized whether they truly did not understand the meaning of 'Baekgoldan,' a plainclothes police unit that violently suppressed past protesters.

[Jeon Yong-gi/Democratic Party lawmaker: "I never imagined that the political gangsters of the Rhee Syngman regime, the Baekgoldan, would be seen anew in 2025."]

Reform Party lawmaker Lee Jun-seok also criticized it as "politics that cannot distinguish right from wrong."

As the controversy grew, lawmaker Kim expressed regret for facilitating the press conference without understanding the accurate information and background, and announced the withdrawal of the press conference.

The People Power Party clarified that this is not an official position of the party.

KBS News, Bang Jun-won.