On the 2nd, People Power Party lawmakers said that Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, had made disparaging remarks about Yeonpyeong regarding his statement about ‘flower crab rice’ the previous day. At a rally urging the ouster of President Yoon Suk-yeol, Lee said, “Personally, I would like to express my gratitude first. If December 3rd had continued as the night of rebellion, I believe that flower crab rice would have probably been made somewhere deep in the sea heading towards Yeonpyeong.”
In response, Representative Bae Jun-young, whose constituency includes Incheon Jung-gu, Ganghwa-gun, and Ongjin-gun, where Yeonpyeong is located, issued a statement saying, “I have received complaints from many Yeonpyeong residents and soldiers that the residents of Ongjin-gun, coast guard, and marines were insulted. As the National Assembly member for Yeonpyeong and as a citizen of the Republic of Korea, I strongly condemn the remarks made by the leader.” He also described Lee's remarks as “remarks that belittle Yeonpyeong as a public security and security blind spot.”
Representative Kim Eun-hye posted on Facebook an article titled ‘Lee Jae-myung, who turned the sea in front of Yeonpyeong into the stage of ‘Asura,’” stating, “When we hear the word Yeonpyeong, we recall the patriotic soldiers who held onto the trigger until their moment of oxidation in the sea facing North Korea,” and asked, “What kind of mindset does a person have to have to sully the country’s sorrowful sea for a despicable plot that is hard to even utter on a day dedicated to honoring such noble spirits?”
In relation to this, Democratic Party spokesperson Lee Na-young issued a statement on the 2nd, saying, “People Power Party Representative Bae Jun-young is nitpicking, calling yesterday’s remarks made by Leader Lee Jae-myung at the nationwide rally ‘an insult to the residents of Ongjin-gun and the marines.’ How shameless is it to obstruct a party leader’s remarks in an attempt to protect Yoon Suk-yeol and frame charges against him?” He claimed, “Yoon Suk-yeol attempted to provoke North Korea without regard for the lives of the people and military personnel. It was Yoon Suk-yeol, the insurrection leader, who insulted the military and the people.”