By Kang Seung-woo
Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has made an apology for his remarks about Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a TV debate Friday regarding the cause of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which drew a backlash both here and abroad.
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| Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, participates in a TV debate on SBS in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap |
"Unlike my intentions, if my words caused misunderstanding to Ukrainians, I lacked the ability to express myself well," Lee wrote on Facebook, Saturday, adding that his remarks were mainly aimed at pointing out the ill-founded diplomatic and security views of his main rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party rather than disparaging the Ukrainian president.
During the TV debate held, Friday, Lee said a novice politician with six months of political experience had become the country's leader and caused a major clash by inciting Russia with a hasty promise regarding Ukraine's admission into NATO.
"This is an example of a diplomatic failure. Yoon is too aggressive and rough in his diplomatic remarks, such as his pledge to establish South Korea's capability to launch preemptive strikes (against North Korea)," Lee said.
The former Gyeonggi Province governor added that he was the presidential candidate who was quickest to take a swipe at the Russian invasion and stand up for the Ukrainian government and people.
Denouncing Lee as an international embarrassment, Yoon said he would make an apology to Ukraine on behalf of South Korea, citing posts critical of Lee's remarks that have been uploaded on Reddit, a popular American online community.
"President Zelenskyy has been staying in Kyiv and leading his country's fight against Russia rather than fleeing, but Lee's remarks were an act of mocking 72 percent of the Ukrainian people who are supporting him," Yoon wrote on Facebook, adding that Lee's accusation of Zelenskyy was the outcome of ignorance.
Liberal political commentator Chin Jung-kwon also took a shot at Lee, saying on Facebook, "While the international community is watching the tragedy taking place in Ukraine, you, desperate to get votes, are only blind to it. Are you a human being?"
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