Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 14th at the international game exhibition "G-Star (G-STAR) 2025" that the party would actively support the development of Korea's game industry. However, controversy erupted after he mentioned Ma Jae-yoon, who was permanently expelled from domestic e-sports for past match-fixing charges. In an apology posted on the 15th, he also drew criticism for a typo, writing e-sports (E-sports) as "E-sorts."
The leader attended the international game exhibition "G-Star (G-STAR) 2025" held the previous day at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Center (BEXCO) in Haeundae-gu, Busan, and said, "The game industry is a future growth engine industry," adding, "If there are inadequate systems or legal obstacles for those in the game industry, the Democratic Party will make every effort to improve those parts."
He also emphasized his long ties with the game industry that day. The leader served as head of a lawmakers' group for the development of e-sports and the game industry in the 17th National Assembly, when he was a first-term lawmaker, and showed interest by introducing a bill to enact the Game Industry Act.
The leader said, "I am the person who first proposed and enacted the Game Industry Promotion Act 20 years ago," adding, "I was the first in the National Assembly to hold a StarCraft tournament." He continued, "At the time, I played a StarCraft exhibition game with player Seo Ji-soo, but I lost in less than five minutes," and said, "After that, I learned the game and also played (matches) with players Lee Yoon-yeol and Lim Yo-hwan."
In the process, he said, "Thinking about it now makes me wonder what players like Lim Yo-hwan, who once enjoyed global fame, as well as Lee Yoon-yeol, Hong Jin-ho, Ma Jae-yoon, and Park Sung-joon are doing and where they are now," adding, "I am well aware of the reality that retired pro gamers are not able to find positions within the institutional framework."
Among the pro gamers he mentioned, Ma Jae-yoon was convicted in court in 2010 on charges of involvement in match-fixing and was permanently expelled by the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA).
StarCraft fans demanded an official apology for the leader's remarks. In a statement, they said, "To line up and recall in the same breath with legend pro gamers a figure who left an irreparable wound on Korean e-sports through match-fixing is an act that insults the history of e-sports and makes light of the efforts and sorrow that fans have guarded," adding, "At the K-game future strategy meeting, where fair competition and sportsmanship should be valued above all, it is not a matter that can be dismissed as a mere 'slip of the tongue' that the ruling party leader listed Ma Jae-yoon's name while calling the legend pro gamers."
The leader posted an apology on Facebook on the afternoon of the 15th, but was called out in comments for misspelling the English term for e-sports, after which he revised the headline and body. In the apology, he said, "During my on-site visit to G-Star in Busan yesterday, I sincerely apologize for disappointing and hurting fans by mentioning a specific individual while calling out StarCraft legend players from memory."