People Power Party attacks Lee Jae-myung on coffee beans comment
The conservative People Power Party intensified its attacks on liberal presidential candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung for a second consecutive day on Monday, accusing him of misrepresenting the struggles of small business owners. The party seized on Lee's recent remarks suggesting that coffee shops are highly profitable due to the low cost of coffee beans, turning coffee into the party's latest political weapon.
Rep. Kim Yong-tae, interim chair of the People Power Party, said Monday that Lee's remarks indicating that a cup of coffee retails for up to 10,000 won ($7.20) while the ground coffee used to make a cup of coffee costs 120 won "sounded like (coffee shop owners) were charging 80 times higher than the cost of production" at the party's campaign headquarters meeting on Monday.
Also at the same meeting, conservative Rep. Na Kyung-won said Lee's remarks were like "a nail driven in the chest of honest small business owners."
The controversy stems from comments Lee made at a campaign rally in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, Friday, where he highlighted his previous experience of clearing out illegally operating businesses from mountain streams when he was governor of Gyeonggi Province, from 2018-2021.
Lee recalled offering many such merchants who sold chicken porridge along the streams a more lucrative option in 2019.
"You make chicken porridge for an hour while sweating, and you have 30,000 won (per customer) at hand (minus costs), but if you sell a cup of coffee, you can earn between 8,000 won and 10,000 won while the cost of it is 120 won," Lee said, adding he managed to persuade vendors to move out and converted the space into more attractive tourist spots.
In South Korea, a small Americano sells for 4,700 won in Starbucks nationwide.
The Democratic Party of Korea explained that Lee's remarks were meant to share his experience of ensuring that vendors continue to make a living after their relocation, while achieving his goal of providing tourists with a well-organized space.
However, the rival party accused Lee of misrepresenting the way a coffee shop owner makes money. Kim Moon-soo, presidential candidate of the People Power Party, said via Facebook on Sunday that Lee described small business owners as "profiteering with evil motives."
Lee, at a televised debate Sunday, explained his claim that 120 won in costs for a cup of coffee only took into account the costs of ground coffee back in 2019, blasting the conservative party for failing to understand the context behind his remarks.
Rep. Lee Geon-tae, a lawmaker for the Democratic Party, said Sunday that he was considering legal action against the People Power Party's interim chair Kim for misrepresenting Lee's remarks to imply that coffee shop owners are ripping off customers. Any legal action had not been announced as of press time Monday.
The issue of retail prices was one of the decisive factors in the latest general election in April 2024.
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol's remarks about a bundle of green onions at a market he visited -- 875 won for 1 kilogram -- sparked voters' anger, because the price he noticed was abnormally lower than the typical price at the time, which then ranged from 3,000 won to 4,000 won. Instead of noticing the abnormality, Yoon pointed out the price was "reasonable."
Lee, then the Democratic Party leader, led the party in weaponizing it as an attack line against the conservative faction, which allowed the main opposition party to win big in the general election.
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Korea Herald
an hour ago
- Korea Herald
‘Pragmatism' in focus as Lee Jae Myung skips NATO summit
S. Korean security adviser to join as Japan sends FM; conservatives attack Lee for sacrificing national interest President Lee Jae Myung's decision not to attend the NATO summit in the Netherlands has brought his 'pragmatic' foreign policy approach into renewed focus while triggering attacks from conservatives. Lee had considered participating in the NATO summit but decided not to, his office said Sunday, in the face of "various domestic issues and uncertainties due to developments in the Middle East." Skipping the NATO trip deprives Lee of a chance to sit down for talks with Trump, as well as with leaders of European countries that South Korea sees as partners in the defense industry and regional security, prompting criticism from the conservative main opposition People Power Party. "Why is (Lee) averting chances to coordinate with allies amid unrest in the Middle East? Is Seoul forfeiting opportunities while pursuing pragmatic diplomacy for national interest?" Rep. Kim Seok-ki, a lawmaker with the People Power Party, said Monday. "We are concerned that from the standpoint of China and Russia, South Korea may be seen as the weakest link among US allies" Kim added, noting that Lee's absence at the NATO summit could "trigger speculations that the Lee administration may be placing its priority on China, Russia and North Korea, rather than its allies and partners." Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Kim Hyun-jung countered that the Lee administration's pragmatic diplomacy based on the Korea-US alliance will remain steadfast despite Lee's absence at the summit, urging the conservative party to stop using smear campaigns based on ideological differences. "Will (the tariff issues) be resolved if we just rush to the NATO summit?" said Democratic Party Rep. Kim. "At the center of pragmatic diplomacy lies the national interest. We should wisely resolve pending issues between the two countries while protecting national interests." NATO revealed that a meeting between the NATO secretary-general, US President Donald Trump and the leaders of NATO partners in the Indo-Pacific region is set to take place at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday in The Hague. However, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is the only head of state expected to attend out of the four countries — Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea — as of press time. Lee's office announced Monday that his national security aide, Wi Sung-lac, will attend the summit on behalf of Lee. Tokyo also unveiled Monday that Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya will head to the Netherlands on behalf of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, reversing its earlier confirmation of Ishiba's trip. Australia will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles. Still, some experts believe that Lee's attendance at the NATO summit could have made a difference in navigating the external uncertainties, from the perspective of pursuing national interests. One expert suggested that Lee may have considered South Korea's ties with China in his decision, while also noting his interest in confidence-building with North Korea. Signs of reengagement with the latter remain limited, however, aside from his move to halt the operation of propaganda loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border. "President Lee decided not to attend (the summit) given that the focus of Trump's attention is on Iran and allied defense spending, rather than on a tariff deal with Seoul, and perhaps also out of concern that a strongly worded joint statement could offend China," said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. "Seoul will be on alert for how conflict in the Middle East reverberates in Asia," Easley added. Not attending the NATO summit "isn't only a missed opportunity" to help defend the international order by supporting Ukraine and coordinating responses to conflict in the Middle East, said Easley. "Seoul needs greater cooperation with NATO countries regarding Russia before Moscow's illegal military trade and exchanges with Pyongyang destabilize the Korean Peninsula." Another expert called Lee's decision not to attend the NATO summit a "mistake" because his presence there could have convinced Seoul's Western partners that he values Europe and understands the connection between security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions. "This is diplomatic low-hanging fruit that Lee is not grabbing," said Mason Richey, professor of international politics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. "It's also a chance to further cement South Korea's role as an arms exporter to Europe, and perhaps make some connection with European leaders of states who could become future South Korean weapons customers," he added.
Korea Herald
7 hours ago
- Korea Herald
[Editorial] Conspicuous absence
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Korea Herald
15 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee Jae Myung skipping NATO summit risks Seoul missing out on diplomatic opportunities, opposition says
President Lee Jae Myung's decision not to attend the upcoming summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization risks South Korea missing out on diplomatic and security opportunities, lawmakers with the opposition People Power Party said Monday. "This NATO summit would be a crucial opportunity to address the security and economic uncertainties caused by the recent Middle East crisis and to explore ways to coordinate joint efforts," People Power Party lawmakers said in a joint statement, asking the president to reconsider. The People Power Party lawmakers said that the president snubbing the NATO summit might send the wrong signal about which countries the new administration in South Korea deems more important. "The president being absent from the NATO summit could give the impression that South Korea is prioritizing China, Russia and North Korea over our allies and partners," they said. The presidential office said earlier that Lee would not be attending the NATO summit, citing "various domestic issues" and the "uncertainties caused by the situation in the Middle East," but added that Lee's top security aide, Wi Sung-lac, would be sent instead. The People Power Party lawmakers also asked the ruling Democratic Party of Korea to exercise "more diplomatic prudence" in its messages about the US. The US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites sparked criticism of the US from some within the Democratic Party over the weekend, including six-term Rep. Choo Mi-ae. Choo said in a statement on Facebook that the US "crossed the Rubicon" with the bombing of the Iranian nuclear sites, which she said violated international laws barring the use of unilateral preemptive force. People Power Party Rep. Kim Gunn, a former nuclear envoy, said that the Democratic Party, as the ruling party should "coordinate its messages on sensitive diplomatic issues with the government." "Messages out of the ruling party that are not in sync with where the government stands could be wrongly perceived as the intentions and perceptions of the government," Kim said. People Power Party Rep. Lim Jong-deuk said, considering the unique security challenges facing South Korea, such as North Korea's dispatch of troops to Russia, Lee's opting out of the NATO summit was "deeply regrettable."
