"Yoon Suk Yeol's Half-Brother" vs. "Illicit Money Is the Real Filth": War of Words Escalates

[Anchor]

Democratic Party Leader Kim Min-seok and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon engaged in a fierce war of words with harsh language. Kim criticized Han, who has been leveling daily attacks against him, accusing him of spewing filthy insults and calling him a "half-brother of former President Yoon Suk Yeol." Han fired back, saying, "The fact that you took illicit money is the real filth."

Reporter Son Hyeong-an reports.

[Reporter]

This is a statement posted on social media yesterday (September 15) by Democratic Party Leader Kim Min-seok titled "To Lawmaker Han Dong-hoon."

Kim stepped forward to refute claims made by independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon during a press conference on September 11, in which Han alleged that Kim had received 900 million won in illicit funds in the past and partied with female hostesses at a room salon.

First, regarding his past conviction for violating the Political Funds Act after being indicted for receiving a total of over 900 million won in political funds in 2004 and 2008, Kim claimed that he was "a case of someone who fell victim as the first handiwork of prosecutors belonging to 'Ugeomhoe,' including Yoon Suk Yeol, Han Dong-hoon, and Lee In-kyu."

Regarding the "Millennium NHK hostess bar incident" involving ruling party figures at the time in Gwangju on the eve of the May 18 Democratization Movement commemoration in 2000, Kim countered that other attendees "have testified that I was neither drinking alcohol nor accompanied by anyone."

Kim also fiercely denounced Han as a half-brother of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, claiming Han was hurling falsehoods and filthy insults.

[Kim Min-seok / Democratic Party Leader (Minjoo Party TV) : Yoon Suk Yeol drank alcohol and cursed, and isn't this person talented enough to curse even without drinking alcohol?...]

Han then pushed back, sarcastically remarking, "Party Leader Kim has admitted to everything, including taking 900 million won in illicit funds and going out to party at a room salon," and adding, "The fact that you took 900 million won in illicit money is the real filth."

Regarding Kim's remark that he would exempt Han from parliamentary expulsion because Han would inevitably face legal punishment anyway for leaking investigative documents, Han responded:

[Han Dong-hoon / Independent Lawmaker : They say they will set aside my expulsion for now, but why set it aside? Go ahead and do it. Party Leader Kim Min-seok, if you can't bite, don't even bark.]

The sharp war of words between Kim and Han is expected to persist throughout this week's parliamentary confirmation hearings.

(Video by Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan, and Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing by Yoo Mi-ra | Graphics by Jang Seong-beom)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.