Lee Jae-myung, the candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 18th regarding his "coffee price remarks," "Since the cost of materials and supplies is this much, I said we would change the store to support you, creating a better environment than porridge with chicken, but it’s distorted like this... (Is that okay)?"

People Power Party Kim Moon-soo (from left), Democratic Labor Party Kwon Young-guk, Reform Party Lee Jun-seok, and Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung are posing for a commemorative photo at the debate hosted by the Central Election Broadcasting Debate Committee at SBS Prism Tower in Mapo District, Seoul, on 18th. /Courtesy of News1

When asked during the TV debate for presidential candidates that afternoon whether he still thinks the cost of a cup of coffee is that much (120 won), the candidate replied, "It’s just an example; there is context in words. It is correct that the cost of coffee materials and supplies was about 120 won around the spring of 2019. Labor costs and facility costs were not taken into account."

Previously, the candidate mentioned, "The cost of one cup of coffee is 120 won, and the selling price is between 8,000 won and 10,000 won." This led to criticism, primarily from the People Power Party, questioning whether the candidate regards small business owners as greedy profiteers.

Shin Dong-uk, the chief spokesperson for the People Power Party's election committee, claimed that if it is to showcase his achievements, it seems that denouncing small business owners as greedy profiteers is nothing at all, and he should immediately apologize for the remarks that failed to understand the situation of small business owners.