Democratic Party of Korea Lee Jae-myung candidate and Reform Party Lee Jun-seok candidate are engaged in a nerve battle over the inheritance of the 'spirit of Roh Moo-hyun.' The atmosphere is elevating criticism regarding political sincerity.
Lee Jun-seok, the Reform Party presidential candidate, emphasized on the 26th through his Facebook that 'the spirit of Roh Moo-hyun is not the exclusive property of a specific political party or individual' and 'it should be a spirit that establishes itself as a universal value in Korean politics.'
The candidate noted, 'When I said I would inherit the spirit of Roh Moo-hyun, members of the Democratic Party reacted collectively as if they were having a seizure,' adding, 'This is because they know that Lee Jae-myung has no philosophical similarities with President Roh Moo-hyun.'
The candidate defined the spirit of Roh Moo-hyun as 'the courage to resist authority, the boldness to speak up when there is a dissent, and the determination to choose one's beliefs even at a disadvantage,' stating, 'I have always spoken according to my beliefs and have stood against authority both inside and outside the party while accepting disadvantages. That is the politics I believe in and the stance that aligns with the spirit of Roh Moo-hyun.'
In particular, candidate Lee Jun-seok posted images regarding past remarks by Lee Jae-myung criticizing former President Roh Moo-hyun and the controversy surrounding 'Kim Hye-kyung,' presumed to be associated with the candidate.
Looking at the image, the candidate stated, 'The public expresses not just disappointment but a deep resentment toward the Open Uri Party (the former name of the Democratic Party of Korea) and the Roh Moo-hyun government,' adding, 'Even when talking about the absolutely necessary task of constitutional amendment, if it is something that President Roh Moo-hyun is doing, the national sentiment is that it is unwanted.'
The candidate raised the level of criticism, stating, 'It is natural to doubt the sincerity of someone with this history suddenly claiming to realize the spirit of Roh Moo-hyun today.'
On that day, Kim Han-na, the spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea's Central Election Countermeasures Committee, remarked, 'The spirit of Roh Moo-hyun is not a tool for washing the image of the Park Geun-hye kids,' adding, 'If candidate Lee Jun-seok truly respects the spirit of President Roh Moo-hyun, who has focused on inclusive politics from the perspective of the marginalized, he should not promote hatred by dividing genders and generations.'