Pocheon city in Gyeonggi province has stated that there are no discussions about dismissing singer Lim Young Woong as an ambassador.
On the 10th, Pocheon city said, "The reports regarding reconsidering Lim Young Woong's ambassador position, as covered by some media, are inaccurate" and noted, "The article suggesting Pocheon city is considering a dismissal is incorrect."
Earlier, Lim Young Woong was embroiled in controversy after engaging in a verbal exchange with a netizen regarding President Yoon Suk Yeol's resignation. On the 7th, Lim Young Woong posted a message celebrating the birthday of a pet on his Instagram.
In response, a netizen sent a message saying, 'What are you doing at this time?' The netizen claimed to have received a reply from Lim Young Woong stating, 'What? Am I a politician? Why should I raise my voice?' This led to some speculation that the message from Lim Young Woong might have been fabricated, but Fish Music, the agency, has not issued any statement. Due to this, criticism towards Lim Young Woong is increasing.
Subsequently, a civil complaint was filed with Pocheon city requesting the dismissal of Lim Young Woong as an ambassador. Lim Young Woong has been serving as Pocheon's ambassador since July 2019. However, if deemed unsuitable for the role, such as actions that damage dignity, the city can terminate the appointment at any time.
Criticism of Lim Young Woong is also rising in the cultural sector. On the previous day's broadcast of the podcast 'Maebul Show,' cultural critic Kim Gap Soo commented, "Martial law could have been a situation where many people could have lost their lives and lived without freedom," and evaluated, "The attitude of saying 'Am I a politician?' or 'Why should I care about that?' demonstrates a lack of basic civic sense."