Lee Jun-seok criticizes Lee Jae-myung: 'Don't politicize May 18th'

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reunification Party, urged Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung to stop politically exploiting the May 18th Democratization Movement, in response to Lee's recent remarks about Starbucks Korea's commemorative event. In a statement on the 21st, Lee Jun-seok emphasized that the noble spirit of the May 18th Democratization Movement should not be used as a tool for elections or as a political means.

Lee Jun-seok pointed to the standard of holding a Starbucks marketer to a four-fold responsibility and brought up the past assault incident involving Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, criticizing the party's nomination and management of its candidates. He questioned whether it was just to show a supportive attitude towards a candidate who committed assault while drunk and then used it as an alibi, citing the case of Shinsegae Group firing its CEO to ask about the possibility of disciplinary action against the Democratic Party candidate.

Lee Jun-seok raised the issue of presidential responsibility by mentioning public outcry caused by a presidential administrative official. He asked whether the President, who holds management and supervisory responsibility comparable to that of a CEO in the case of an administrative official causing public outrage, would resign. He also pointed out whether ministers would be dismissed if similar incidents occurred within their departments.