Park Joo-sun, “Kim Keon-hee’s Post Ridiculed Cho Min? Overreading the Social Media Post. We Never Contacted BTS”

[경향신문]

Park Joo-sun, head of the presidential inauguration preparation committee. National Assembly press photographers/Yonhap News

On April 12, Park Joo-sun, head of the presidential inauguration preparation committee spoke on the controversial invitation of BTS to the inauguration ceremony and said, “It was only an idea we discussed in the inauguration preparation committee, and we never contacted BTS.”

This day, Park appeared on the YTN radio show, News King Bak Ji-hun and said, “The President-elect Yoon asked for a modest but meaningful inauguration ceremony, so when discussing the issue in a committee meeting, we decided that a program with unknown stars, children, teenagers, and people from isolated groups taking part and performing could significantly contribute to the meaning of national unity.”

This day, the president-elect was scheduled to visit former president Park Geun-hye at her home, and as for whether the president-elect would personally invite her to the inauguration ceremony, Park Joo-sun said, “I think Yoon will say something that would express our wish for her to attend, since her presence would have a symbolic meaning in addition to a congratulations on the launch of the new government and national harmony.”

Park continued and said, “Since it (President Moon Jae-in and Park sitting next to each other) has a symbolic meaning, we would like her to come,” and added, “We will wait and see how it goes.”

As for inviting Lee Jae-myung, senior advisor to the Democratic Party of Korea, Park said, “We haven’t discussed it in the committee, but it would be great if he could come,” and also said, “But the question is will he come. There has been no precedent of inviting other candidates, so we have not discussed this yet.”

Some people argued that the picture of a certificate that President-elect Yoon Seok-youl’s wife, Kim Keon-hee posted on her social media account, was a ridicule of Cho Min, the daughter of former justice minister Cho Kuk. Park spoke on this and said, “They are overreading it and it is just a unilateral argument.”

Park further said, “How can they generalize a speculation and mislead the public like it’s a matter of course. I can’t accept that.”

Earlier on April 8, Kim Keon-hee posted a picture of her giving a handwritten certificate of merit to an employee of her company, Covana Contents, on Instagram. On the certificate was written, “We grant the certificate of merit to the person named above for exemplary conduct, using a reusable cup and reducing the use of paper cups with a clear intention to protect the environment.” It also stated that the certificate was granted by “Kim Keon-hee, CEO of Covana Contents, a company mindful of the environment.”

Kim posted the picture after the Pusan National University Medical School and Korea University canceled the admission of former justice minister Cho Kuk’s daughter. Some people argued that Kim’s post was intended to deride Chung Kyung-sim, former professor at Dongyang University and the wife of former justice minister Cho Kuk, who forged her daughter’s certificate of merit.

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