Moon's birthday ads trigger controversy
An ad celebrating President Moon Jae-in’s birthday in Gwanghwamun Station, Thursday. / Yonhap
By Kim Rahn
Fans of President Moon Jae-in have put up ads in subway stations in Seoul to celebrate his 66th birthday that falls on Jan. 24.
While it has been common in Korea for fans of idol singers and actors to collect money and place birthday celebration messages on spaces at subway stations where ads are usually placed, this is the first time it is happening for a president and it’s causing a political controversy over whether it is appropriate.
According to the subway operator, the celebration ads appeared in 37 spaces at 18 stations in Seoul starting Thursday. The ad shows Moon’s smiling face and the message: “Jan. 24 of 1953 when Moon rose in Korea. We celebrate your 66th birthday.”
At stations of subway lines 5 to 8, a video ad is also displayed. These ads will be up for more than a month.
It is said the cost for the ads is over 100 million won, which Moon’s fan clubs paid.
A Twitter account named “Moon_rise_day” said: “This event was organized voluntarily by women who support President Moon. It is unrelated to any specific regions, groups or individuals.”
Seoul Metro, the Seoul subway operator, said it deliberated about the ads thoroughly because there has been no precedent about a birthday celebration ads for a politician. It said it concluded they would not damage political neutrality.
However, the conservative bloc are criticizing the ads, saying placing them in such public places is akin to idolizing the President.
Rep. Kim Sung-tae, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, said Friday, “I hope Moon will become a president for all people, not a president for only his diehard fans.”
Former Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo compared this with North Korea’s idolization of its founder Kim Il-sung. “In North Korean ideology, Kim should be revered. It is said there are some 30,000 statues of Kim in the North. In the South, let the ads for the birthday of great President Moon, who took office through the great candlelit revolution, spread,” he said on his Facebook.
But Seoul Metro said that as of Friday afternoon, it had received 100 complaints demanding the ads be removed, and 1,900 comments in favor of them.