Jeong Cheong-rae, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, introduced a photo depicting him humorously viewing the Silla crown during a visit to the Gyeongju National Museum on his social media, but deleted it after facing criticism.
Representative Jeong and the leadership of the Democratic Party gathered in Gyeongju for two days from the 19th to the 20th to check on the preparations for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and to visit the local community.
Representative Jeong noted, "There is no ruling or opposition party in national interest, and we must do our best to pursue the national interest," promising bipartisan support for APEC. He later shared over 30 photos on social media showcasing his trip to Gyeongju, including visits to Bulguksa Temple and the Gyeongju National Museum.
What garnered attention was a photo of Representative Jeong, seemingly wearing the Cheonmachong golden crown. The Cheonmachong golden crown is designated as National Treasure No. 188 and is presumed to be the golden crown of King Jinheung. It is considered one of the largest and most magnificent works among Silla golden crowns, symbolizing the golden age of Silla culture.
Of course, Representative Jeong did not directly wear the golden crown. He used a photographic technique that creates an optical illusion, which has recently gained popularity on social media, to elicit laughter. The comparison between the large, ornate golden crown and Representative Jeong's face attracted much attention.
However, criticism arose regarding this photo. Some supporters of Park Chan-dae, who stood by him during the recently concluded party leader election, reacted by saying, "Is this the time for Lee Jae-myung to act like a king?"
They further criticized him with remarks such as, "An act that belittles President Lee Jae-myung," "A man who wants to be king, a man who believes he will be king," and "watermelon crown."
In response, supporters of Representative Jeong took to defending him. They remarked, "Rather than making such criticisms, you should criticize Yoon Geon-hee," and "Park Chan-dae is venting his frustrations about not winning the election here." As the controversy continued, Representative Jeong ultimately deleted two photos related to the crown.
This APEC meeting will take place in Gyeongju from October 27 to November 1 over six days, featuring a final high-level meeting, a joint ministerial meeting on diplomatic and trade affairs, and the summit.