By Jun Ji-hye
Rhyu Si-min, a former welfare minister, has stirred controversy over his remarks that the deaths of so many people were forecasted right after President Park Geun-hye took power.
His statement referred to the Sewol ferry disaster that left more than 300 dead or missing, most of them high school students.
"I had said so many people would die or be sent to prison under the Park regime," Rhyu said Wednesday. "Unfortunately, the current situation seems to be going in that direction."
Rhyu made the remarks in a video clip to promote the minor opposition Justice Party's podcast for the June 4 local elections. He is a member of the party.
"The enormous death of innocent children occurred during the seven-year rule of the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye governments," said Rhyu. "The Sewol tragedy resulted from the two presidents' appointment of incompetent figures to high-ranking positions, and those people's corruption has caused a malfunction of the government's safety administration."
During an event to introduce his book that day, he questioned President Park's shedding of tears during her nationally televised address over the sunken vessel earlier this week.
"Normally, she should have shed tears when she first visited the gymnasium on Jindo Island where relatives of the missing gathered. I don't understand why she wept in the press conference room, instead of the scene of the accident," Rhyu said.
He added, "What made me angry is the fact that many people support a person like Park who has no ability to share the sadness of others."
The ruling Saenuri Party countered Rhyu's remarks.
Spokesman Rep. Ham Jin-gyu said his party was taken aback by Rhyu's comments.
"We could not believe our ears when he said that many people will die and be imprisoned," Ham said in a statement.
He said the former minister's comments amount to an absolute disregard for the numerous people who voted for Park in the 2012 presidential election.
"He even disparaged the ill-fated ferry disaster that caused the death of precious lives to use it for his political gain. That behavior is just hideous," he said.
The governing party claimed that Rhyu appears to be jubilant about the fact that the government has been confronted with a crisis following the ferry tragedy.
"If not, Rhyu will immediately stop his slander against the Park administration, and offer an apology to the victims and the bereaved families," Ham said.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
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| Rhyu Si-min |
His statement referred to the Sewol ferry disaster that left more than 300 dead or missing, most of them high school students.
"I had said so many people would die or be sent to prison under the Park regime," Rhyu said Wednesday. "Unfortunately, the current situation seems to be going in that direction."
Rhyu made the remarks in a video clip to promote the minor opposition Justice Party's podcast for the June 4 local elections. He is a member of the party.
"The enormous death of innocent children occurred during the seven-year rule of the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye governments," said Rhyu. "The Sewol tragedy resulted from the two presidents' appointment of incompetent figures to high-ranking positions, and those people's corruption has caused a malfunction of the government's safety administration."
During an event to introduce his book that day, he questioned President Park's shedding of tears during her nationally televised address over the sunken vessel earlier this week.
"Normally, she should have shed tears when she first visited the gymnasium on Jindo Island where relatives of the missing gathered. I don't understand why she wept in the press conference room, instead of the scene of the accident," Rhyu said.
He added, "What made me angry is the fact that many people support a person like Park who has no ability to share the sadness of others."
The ruling Saenuri Party countered Rhyu's remarks.
Spokesman Rep. Ham Jin-gyu said his party was taken aback by Rhyu's comments.
"We could not believe our ears when he said that many people will die and be imprisoned," Ham said in a statement.
He said the former minister's comments amount to an absolute disregard for the numerous people who voted for Park in the 2012 presidential election.
"He even disparaged the ill-fated ferry disaster that caused the death of precious lives to use it for his political gain. That behavior is just hideous," he said.
The governing party claimed that Rhyu appears to be jubilant about the fact that the government has been confronted with a crisis following the ferry tragedy.
"If not, Rhyu will immediately stop his slander against the Park administration, and offer an apology to the victims and the bereaved families," Ham said.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
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