DP Lawmaker Youn Kun-young: "Chief Justice Cho Threw Anti-Tank Mines"… PPP Slams "Despicable Remark"

When Democratic Party lawmaker Youn Kun-young used the metaphor of an "anti-tank landmine" on August 24 while criticizing Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's refusal to re-nominate a Supreme Court justice candidate, the People Power Party denounced it as a "reckless remark" and "despicable behavior."

Appearing on SBS Radio's "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show" that day, the Democratic Party lawmaker responded, "There are a lot of landmines," to the host's remark that the government and the ruling party face many pending issues ahead of the Chuseok holiday.

He added, referring to Chief Justice Cho's refusal of Cheong Wa Dae's request to re-nominate a Supreme Court justice candidate, "[He] just threw several anti-tank landmines."

In response, PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok held a press conference at the National Assembly, pointing to North Korean wooden box landmines as the cause of a recent suspected landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), saying, "Under such circumstances, lawmaker Youn went on the radio to talk about landmines, snickering and laughing in front of the public."

He criticized, "Even when the 2015 wooden box landmine incident occurred, Democratic Party lawmakers made absurd and reckless remarks," asking, "Are DP lawmakers pleased that our military personnel were seriously injured by an exploding North Korean landmine in the DMZ? Are they happy because North Korea did something for them?"

In a commentary, party spokesperson Cho Yong-sool questioned, "There are limits even to political metaphors, and there is a time and place for every word," asking, "What is the intention of an incumbent Democratic Party lawmaker in deliberately bringing up the term 'landmine,' which caused great shock to the public and military service members during this grave time?"

Spokesperson Cho criticized, "One should be even more prudent, especially when it is a matter concerning national security and the lives of service members," adding, "Consuming reckless remarks about landmines as a tool for political strife is despicable behavior in itself."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.