A month before the June 3 local elections, the Democratic Party of Korea staggered over a string of verbal missteps. Within the party leadership, there were self-reflective remarks that said, "We must not let go of the tension for even a moment."
Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae said on the morning of the 4th during a supreme council meeting held in Busan, "Regarding the circumstances surrounding the visit to Gupo Market, I am sorry to the child who became the center of controversy and was likely hurt, and to the child's parents."
The situation that sparked controversy occurred the previous day. While visiting Gupo Market in Busan with Democratic Party candidate Ha Jung-woo for the Busan Buk-gap National Assembly by-election, Jung said to a lower-grade elementary school child, "Here is Jeong-woo oppa. Try saying oppa," using the Korean term for an older male. Ha also said "oppa."
As the scene spread online, the People Power Party sharply criticized Jung and Ha. People Power Party lawmaker Park Jung-hoon said, "Telling an elementary school student—by a politician more than 40 years older—to call him oppa is clearly 'child sexual harassment,'" while People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seog also said, "Forcing a child to say oppa is clearly child sexual violence and a violation of children's rights," adding, "I urge leader Jung Chung-rae and candidate Ha Jung-woo, on Children's Day, to reflect on their own awareness of children's rights."
As the controversy grew, Jung and Ha apologized, saying, "We are sorry to the child and the child's parents," and they moved to contain the fallout by apologizing again at the supreme council meeting that morning.
Democratic Party Seoul mayoral candidate Chong Won-o also became embroiled in controversy after making a "consulting" remark to a Namdaemun Market merchant. It later became known that on Apr. 25, when Chong visited Namdaemun Market, he told a merchant who appealed that "business is doing terribly," "With this many tourists, why isn't business good?" and "If you get consulting and change your items, you could hit the jackpot."
The People Power Party came out with strong criticism, saying, "Chong's remark is not simply an inappropriate comment to one merchant but a gaffe that rubbed salt into the wounds of people struggling to make a living."
Campaign Spokesperson Park Kyung-mi for Chong explained in a commentary, "Candidate Chong, an 'iljalleo' (a person who is good at work) administrator, tried offering several options on the spot," adding, "Given the high likelihood that foot traffic will increase, the point was to unlock Namdaemun Market's potential."
However, the merchant who directly heard the remark was reportedly displeased. According to a transcript released by People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jae-seop, the merchant said, "I've been doing wholesale only inside here for 25 years. I've been in business that long, and while I'm trying to hang on, being told to get consulting was absurd," adding, "It made me think, 'Do they look down on us because we do business like this?' and I felt a sense of self-contempt."
With verbal missteps piling up, voices within the Democratic Party leadership also urged caution. Democratic Party Secretary-General Cho Seung-rae held a briefing at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 4th and said, "We must not let go of the thread of tension even for a moment, and we need to think about how (remarks) will come across to citizens, whether consciously or unconsciously, when delivered."
Cho said, "It would be best to make no mistakes at all, but when mistakes do occasionally happen, promptly acknowledging and apologizing can also send a message to citizens," adding, "What's important is to convey that attitude and sincerity."