Minister Choi Dong-seok said during the Cabinet meeting, which was broadcast live for the first time under the Lee Jae-myung administration, "I am very sorry to be becoming famous these days." This remark is interpreted as reflecting his awareness of the ongoing controversy surrounding his past comments. President Lee Jae-myung also pointed out during Minister Choi's remarks, "Just state the conclusion."

Choi Dong-seok, the Minister of Personnel Management, speaks during a discussion on measures to eradicate serious accidents at the cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jae-myung at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 29th./Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

Minister Choi requested the right to speak at the Cabinet meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the morning of the 29th and made this remark. The meeting was a discussion on workplace accident prevention measures and was broadcast live for the first time according to President Lee's wishes.

Minister Choi's past remarks of making 'harsh comments' against ruling party figures on YouTube broadcast and social media (SNS) have recently come to light, amplifying the controversy. In a broadcast last May, he posted photos of former President Moon Jae-in and former representative Cho Kuk, stating, "Inept people only talk among themselves" and "Inept people respect each other. It's maddening."

He also defined the sexual harassment case of the late former Seoul mayor Park Won-soon as a 'planned incident' and criticized the attorney Kim Jae-ryun, who represented the victim, as "someone who needs to be treated." He added, "They claim that they are inflicting secondary harm, but without knowing the identity of the victim, who exactly is supposedly inflicting the secondary harm?"

During the Cabinet meeting, Minister Choi stated, "While it is absolutely necessary to prevent through micro-sanctions and regulations, it is not sufficient," and added, "I believe that we cannot fundamentally resolve this issue with regulations alone without a philosophical background that human dignity cannot be infringed upon."

He emphasized, "In a society where hierarchy, class differentiation, discrimination, and competition exist, this problem cannot be solved with only such regulations," adding, "Education is also needed for administrative officials and in schools to ensure that the mental and physical well-being of others cannot be infringed upon."

However, President Lee stated during Minister Choi's remarks, "I understand sufficiently, so just say the conclusion. Isn't the necessity something everyone can agree on?"

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