Han Dong-hoon hits back at Chung Bong-ju's 'verification team' with 'political thug' jibe
Chung Bong-ju, chief planning special advisor of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced plans to form 'Team Chung Bong-ju' to verify allegations surrounding independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon. Appearing on the YouTube channel 'Kim Ou-joon's Humility Is Hard News Factory' on the 7th, Chung referenced the organization that had once scrutinized former President Lee Myung-bak, saying, "Just as three teams were deployed to go after Lee Myung-bak, we have decided to form 'Team Chung Bong-ju.'" He explained that "for lawmaker Han, a family team, a digital team, and a Hyundai High School team should be created," with the family team handling matters related to the investigation of party member message boards, the digital team covering digital forensic matters, and the Hyundai High School team vetting figures who support Han.
In response, Han pushed back on Facebook shortly after Chung's remarks, resurfacing Chung's past 'crutch prize' comment regarding the 2015 North Korean wooden-box mine explosion. Han criticized him, saying, "At a time when our soldiers lost their feet to a North Korean DMZ mine attack, this is the person who said, 'Let's give crutches as prizes to anyone who steps on a DMZ mine.'" Citing Chung's past remarks, Han protested against what he called "political thuggery." He added, "I would tell Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok, who has put Chung forward as a party special advisor and ordered him to surveil Han Dong-hoon for being a political opponent, to come to his senses."
The 'crutch prize' remark was made in 2017 on the YouTube channel 'Chung Bong-ju's Nationwide.' At the time, Chung, while discussing DMZ tourism products, said, "We'll hand out a crutch to each person who steps on a landmine." The comment drew criticism for trivializing the 2015 wooden-box mine explosion that injured South Korean soldiers, and Chung apologized ahead of the 2024 general election.
The remark was brought back into the spotlight in connection with a mine explosion that occurred on September 21 in the DMZ under the jurisdiction of the Army's 25th Division on the western front during a search operation. Three officers were seriously or lightly injured in the accident, one of whom suffered a severed foot. The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that the blast site was confirmed to be about 10 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and was judged to have been caused by a box-type anti-personnel mine planted by North Korea south of the MDL.
Since the accident, Han has held solo protests and press conferences in front of the Defense Ministry, criticizing the government and military's response.
