South Korean presidential election roiled by coffee beans, Chanel bags and room salon
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's presidential race has devolved into personal attacks and petty disputes, drowning out meaningful policy debate after former conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol's ouster over his martial law fiasco.
The bitter mudslinging between liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung and conservative opponent Kim Moon Soo escalated during Tuesday night's final presidential debate, with Lee branding Kim 'Yoon Suk Yeol's avatar' and Kim denouncing Lee as a 'harbinger of monster politics and dictatorship."
Here is a look at the words and controversies that have roiled the presidential contest as two days of early voting begins Thursday ahead of the June 3 election:
Lee roasted over coffee beans
Consistently trailing Lee in opinion polls, Kim has focused on dredging up his legal troubles and casting the outspoken Democratic Party candidate as a dangerous, hardline populist whose economic promises are detached from reality.
For days, Kim's camp has seized on what appeared to be a casual comment by Lee about the profitability of running coffee shops during a May 16 campaign rally in Gunsan city.
Lee was touting his past policy as Gyeonggi Province governor in 2019, when he relocated unlicensed food vendors from the province's popular mountain streams to clean up and revitalize tourist areas.
Lee said he offered to help vendors transition to legitimate businesses and suggested it would be far more profitable to sell coffee than their labor-intensive chicken porridge. Lee said he noted that a cup of coffee could sell for 8,000 to 10,000 won ($5.8 to $7.3), while the raw cost of beans was just 120 won (9 cents).
The remarks quickly struck a nerve in a country where the rapid spread of small coffee shops has come to symbolize the struggles of the self-employed in a decaying job market.
Kim's People Power Party accused Lee of 'driving a nail into the hearts of small business owners' by portraying coffee shops as profiteering and said he misunderstood the factors behind retail pricing.
Lee accused the conservatives of distorting his remarks, saying he was simply explaining how he had helped vendors operate in a better environment.
Kim sidesteps a Chanel bag scandal
Kim's avoidance of direct criticism of Yoon over his martial law decree has been a major source of Lee's political offensive against him.
When Yoon appeared May 21 to view a documentary film justifying his martial law decree and raising unfounded claims about how the liberals benefited from election fraud, some PPP members lamented he was practically campaigning for Lee.
Kim, formerly Yoon's labor minister, only said he would do his best as president to eliminate suspicions of alleged election fraud.
Kim also has not offered any notable reaction to various scandals surrounding Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee.
Prosecutors in Seoul are investigating fresh allegations that the former first lady received luxury gifts, including two Chanel bags, from a Unification Church official seeking business favors after Yoon took office in 2022.
She previously faced several other allegations including receiving a Dior bag from a Korean American pastor and involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme.
During the presidential debate, Lee claimed Yoon would return as a 'shadow ruler' behind Kim, and Kim skirted Lee's question about whether he would pardon Yoon.
Allegations from a 'room salon'
The 'room salon' is a long-standing symbol of South Korea's male-oriented nightlife culture. The expensive, private karaoke bar where hostesses drink and sing with male customers abruptly emerged as a hot election issue.
Lee's party alleged a judge handling Yoon's rebellion trial visited one of the bars in affluent southern Seoul last year with two unidentified people. It said his companions paid the bill and they were likely linked to his work as a judge, representing a conflict of interest.
The judge, Jee Kui-youn, has been at the center of bipartisan wrangling since he approved Yoon's release from prison in March and allowed him to stand his trial without physical detention.
'We should strip him of his judge robe," party spokesperson Noh Jongmyun said. "Isn't it preposterous for him to serve as chief judge for the rebellion trial where the fate of Korea's democracy lies?'
Jee denied the allegations, saying that like many ordinary people he enjoys 'samgyeopsal,' grilled pork bellies, and 'somaek,' shots mixing beer and the traditional Korean liquor soju.
Conservative critics accuse the Democratic Party of trying to tame the judiciary branch as Lee faces five criminal trials over corruption and other allegations.
Chaos over unifying candidacies
South Korea does not hold a second round of runoff elections. Subsequently, when there is a clear frontrunner it is common for two remaining rivals to launch a unified campaign in which one withdraws and supports the other in exchange for a high-profile role in the government.
With Lee maintaining a solid lead, this year's race saw a similar maneuver among conservatives, but the extremely chaotic, undemocratic manner failed and hurt Kim's campaign.
Believing Han Duck-soo, Yoon's former prime minister, had a better chance of defeating Lee, PPP leaders consisting primarily of Yoon loyalists held late night, emergency meetings to cancel Kim's nomination and push a candidacy by Han, an independent. The attempt was rejected the next day in a vote by party members.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
44 minutes ago
- Associated Press
A suspected drone attack on a hospital in Sudan kills 6, activists say
CAIRO (AP) — A suspected drone attack by Sudanese paramilitaries Friday hit a hospital in southern Sudan, killing at least six people and knocking the facility out of service, officials and rights advocates said. The Emergency Lawyers, a rights group, blamed the Rapid Support Forces for the attack on the Obeid International Hospital, al-Dhaman, in Obeid, the capital city of North Kordofan province. At least 15 others were wounded in the attack, it said. In a statement on social media, the hospital said the attack resulted in severe damage to its main building. Services at the hospital, the main medical facility serving the region, were suspended until further notice, it said. Sudan plunged into civil war on April 15, 2023, when simmering tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open warfare in the capital Khartoum and other parts of the country. The Emergency Lawyers, which tracks Sudan's war, said the attack on the hospital was part of a large-scale artillery offensive on the city, which is held by the military. Obeid is 363 kilometers (225 miles) south of Khartoum. There was no immediate comment from the RSF. The attack was the latest on Obeid. On May 10, at least 20 inmates were killed in a drone attack on the city's main prison. That attack was also blamed on the RSF. The war in Sudan has been marked by atrocities including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in the western region of Darfur, according to the United Nations and international rights groups. The conflict created the world's worst humanitarian crisis and pushed parts of the country into famine. Thousands of people have been killed and over 14 million were forced to flee their homes.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Accuses China of Violating Deal After He Tried to Be Nice
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump has accused China of violating its preliminary trade agreement with the United States, and suggested he would take further action. On May 12, the U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day suspension of most tariffs on each other's imports. The deal was reached after Trump imposed huge tariffs on Chinese imports, before Beijing retaliated. Writing on Truth Social on Friday, Trump said: "Two weeks ago China was in grave economic danger! The very high Tariffs I set made it virtually impossible for China to TRADE into the United States marketplace which is, by far, number one in the World. We went, in effect, COLD TURKEY with China, and it was devastating for them. "Many factories closed and there was, to put it mildly, 'civil unrest.' I saw what was happening and didn't like it, for them, not for us. I made a FAST DEAL with China in order to save them from what I thought was going to be a very bad situation, and I didn't want to see that happen." He added: "Because of this deal, everything quickly stabilized and China got back to business as usual. Everybody was happy! That is the good news!!! The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US. So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!" President Donald Trump speaking in the Oval Office at the White House on Wednesday. Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow earlier this month. President Donald Trump speaking in the Oval Office at the White House on Wednesday. Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow earlier this month. Evan Vucci/Pavel Bednyakov/AP This is a breaking story. More to follow.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
US inflation gauge cools with little sign of tariff impact, so far
WASHINGTON (AP) — A key U.S. inflation gauge slowed last month as President Donald Trump's tariffs have yet to noticeably push up prices, while American incomes jumped. Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that consumer prices rose just 2.1% in April compared with a year earlier, down from 2.3% in March and the lowest since September. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.5% from a year earlier, below the March figure of 2.6%. Economists track core prices because they typically provide a better read on where inflation is headed. The figures show inflation is still declining from its post-pandemic spike, which reached the highest level in four decades in July 2022. Economists and some business executives have warned that prices will likely head higher as Trump's widespread tariffs take effect, though the timing and impact of those duties are now in doubt after they were struck down late Wednesday in court. At the same time, incomes — before adjusting for inflation — rose a healthy 0.8%. Much of that gain reflected an increase in Social Security benefits for some retired teachers, fire fighters, and federal workers whose incomes previously weren't fully counted toward Social Security benefits. The inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve said at their most recent meeting May 6-7 that inflation is still elevated, compared to their target of 2%. Fed officials, who focus more on core prices, broadly support keeping their key interest rate steady while they evaluate the impact of the tariffs on inflation and jobs. Consumer spending rose 0.2% in April from March, the report said, but that's down from the big 0.7% rise in March. The court ruling last Wednesday said that most of Trump's tariffs were unlawful, including his duties on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, as well as those on more than 50 other countries. Tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars were implemented under different laws and remain in place. But the duties were allowed to remain in effect while the Trump administration appeals the ruling against them. And administration officials say they will find other legal authorities, if needed, to implement the tariffs. As a result, what tariffs will end up in place and for how long remains highly uncertain.
