Lee Jun-seok, the Reform Party presidential candidate, said on the 28th, “I recognize that there are citizens who are uncomfortable with my remarks yesterday (27th), and I sincerely apologize for that.”
After a campaign at Yeouido Park in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, this morning, candidate Lee met with reporters and said, “From my perspective, if such conduct is true, it certainly needs thorough scrutiny.”
Candidate Lee sparked controversy during a TV debate hosted by the National Election Commission the previous day by using graphic language referring to a woman’s body part.
Candidate Lee’s ‘chopstick remarks’ from the previous day refer to a comment revealed by the Garosero Research Institute, which was allegedly made by the son of Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung on an online forum back in 2021.
Candidate Lee stated, “In 2021, Lee Jae-myung’s side acknowledged issues with the ID that posted the comment,” and added, “Just as there was scrutiny of the so-called ‘Julie issue’ during the last presidential election, I believe it is necessary to scrutinize candidates’ families.” He continued, “While I thought controversy might arise, it was not intentional,” and added, “This was an issue during the last presidential election and I mentioned it at that level.”
Candidate Lee also asserted, “There are numerous people in the People Power Party who know where I reside, but saying they are investigating my residence is intended to spread in the media,” and firmly declared, “There will be no unification.”
Kim Jae-won, the chief secretary for the People Power Party candidate, revealed, “After last night’s TV debate, we obtained the address and made various preparations to visit Lee Jun-seok’s residence, but given Lee’s strong public objection to anyone visiting, we decided to abandon those plans out of concern for further troubling Lee.”
Regarding the additional debate proposal made to candidate Lee Jae-myung during the previous day’s TV debate, candidate Lee conveyed, “We informed Lee Jae-myung’s side that a debate could be conducted even on Kim Eo-jun’s broadcast.” Lee added, “However, there has been no response from Lee Jae-myung, and Kim Eo-jun says only Lee Jae-myung will be invited separately. I see this as the attitude of the progressive camp.”