Author Yoo Si-min urged the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions to apologize regarding his remark that called Seol Nan-young, the spouse of People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, 'not in her right mind.'
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions stated in a commentary on the 30th that 'author Yoo evaluated Seol Nan-young as being drunk on the ecstasy of having married well as a woman worker with a low educational background,' adding, 'this remark is derogatory toward women and laborers, and discriminatory against education levels.'
It added, 'While Yoo may think he was criticizing Seol Nan-young, he actually revealed his discriminatory perceptions toward women, laborers, and education levels,' and demanded that Yoo and the program 'Kim Eo-jun's Dasbweida' apologize and remove the relevant segment from the broadcast.
The Federation of Korean Trade Unions also commented, 'This is a clear classist and sexist remark, a manifestation of internalized elitism,' questioning, 'How is this different from those who mocked former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun as high school graduates?' and called for an apology.
It further stated, 'The college enrollment rate for women born in the early 1950s is so difficult to find in statistics. This is deeply hurtful to all those who wanted to study during that time but could not, or who sacrificed for their families,' emphasizing, 'We should not belittle the struggles of countless women who carved out their lives in a time of severe gender discrimination, where their sacrifices were taken for granted.'
Yoo, a former student activist who served as a member of the National Assembly in the 16th and 17th terms, Minister of Health and Welfare, and chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, sparked controversy with remarks made during an appearance on the YouTube channel 'Kim Eo-jun's Dasbweida' on the 28th, stating that Seol could feel 'elevated through marriage to an extraordinary man, to the point that it lacks balance.' He added, 'The spouse of a leading presidential candidate is a position Seol cannot reach in her life,' saying, 'So, she is not in her right mind.' Seol did not pursue university education after graduating high school and engaged in labor movements.