Jin Jungkwon says Korea has become a land of extremes amid idol slur row, lawmaker's wreath

Jin Jungkwon, a special professor at Kwangwoon University, said tolerance and generosity have vanished from Korean politics, leaving only hostility, amid a controversy over idol group Lisn member Woni's use of the word "museopno" and People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jinsuk's decision to send a congratulatory wreath to Baejae High School.

Jin wrote on social media Monday that former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk had criticized Woni for using the expression "museopno," calling it an "Ilbe-style expression." Jin said, "Do you really need to go after one young idol star to feel satisfied?"

He also said, "In the middle of all this, Lee Jinsuk — a People Power Party lawmaker — went ahead and sent a congratulatory wreath to Baejae High School."

Jin went on to say he feared that "mentalite (mentality) is becoming ever more dogmatic, and sensibilite (sensibility) is becoming ever more violent and aggressive — it seems only the two extremes are left in this country."

The controversy began after a YouTube video featuring Woni, who is from Geoje in South Gyeongsang Province, was released June 28, showing her exchanging the word "museopno" in conversation with a producer.

The clip drew both criticism — with some calling the expression an "Ilbe-style phrase" — and defense, with others saying it is simply a South Gyeongsang dialect word.

Former leader Cho weighed in on social media Saturday, arguing that "there are people who defend the practice of attaching 'no' to the end of sentences — a habit Ilbe uses to mock the late President Roh Moo-hyun — by saying 'people in Busan and the Yeongnam region use it that way too.'" He added, "In my observation, Ilbe mechanically attaches 'no' to standard Korean words, whereas people from Busan and the Yeongnam region use 'no' when asking for a specific explanation of a situation."

People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jinsuk (left) and the congratulatory wreath she sent to Baejae High School. [Yonhap·Lee's Facebook]

On the same day, People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jinsuk said she had sent a congratulatory wreath to Baejae High School, which had been disciplined over a controversy involving a Starbucks-themed cheer slogan.

Lee wrote on social media that she sent the wreath "to give a little encouragement to the Baejae High School students who may be gripped with fear."

yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com