Lee Ji-eun, chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's Mapo-gap district committee in Seoul. [Newsis]
Lee Ji-eun, chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's Mapo-gap district committee in Seoul. [Newsis]

Lee Ji-eun, chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's Mapo-gap district committee in Seoul, has warned she will take legal action against anyone who insinuates a romantic relationship between her and Democratic Party leader candidate Jung Chung-rae — after footage of her poking his cheek at an official party event sparked online criticism.

According to political sources Tuesday, Lee drew controversy at the Democratic Party's Aug. 17 national convention regional joint speech event for the Chungcheong region — covering Daejeon, Sejong, South Chungcheong Province and North Chungcheong Province — held Saturday at the Daejeon Convention Center in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. Seated behind Jung, she was filmed reaching forward and poking his cheek with her finger.

Video of the moment spread rapidly online, including through the YouTube channel "Hwang Gija TV."

In the footage, Lee tapped Jung on the shoulder from behind to get his attention. When he turned around, she poked his right cheek with her index finger and flashed a bright smile. The playful gesture drew a wave of criticism online. "There are plenty of married male sunbae at my company, but I couldn't imagine doing something like that," one commenter wrote, while others called it a failure to separate personal and professional conduct.

As the backlash continued, Lee appeared Monday on the YouTube channel "Saenal" and addressed the criticism. "If people are saying, 'You're almost 50 years old' — she is in fact 48 — 'what kind of immature behavior is that?' or 'How could you fool around like that at such a solemn party convention?' then I am sorry for not showing a more mature side of myself," she said.

She went on to warn: "But if it goes beyond that — if people imply the two of us are in some kind of relationship — I won't tolerate it. I will press charges."

Lee said she had also been asked about the incident in a recent interview with another outlet. "I answered that I would be more careful going forward and that it was just a joke — but then a man nearby asked what kind of relationship the two of us had," she said. Responding to suggestions that her hand gesture had drawn a heart shape, she said she had explained it was a square. "Up to that point I can let it go, but I will not tolerate anything that crosses the line," she said.

She added that she had experience pursuing such cases. "When I was a police officer, I once gave an interview in uniform, and the comments section filled up with misogynistic remarks. I screenshotted all of them and filed complaints. Those people sent me letters of apology. I do not settle," she said.

"I am in fact screenshotting all the comments," she said, urging people not to cross the line.

Lee, known as an ally of Jung, is a former police officer who entered politics after being recruited by the Democratic Party as a talent candidate. She ran in the 22nd general election in the Mapo-gap constituency in Seoul but lost. She went on to serve as district committee chair and party spokesperson, but resigned from the spokesperson role shortly after the June 3 local elections, when calls for Jung to step down as party leader grew louder. Her resignation followed remarks in which she said, "We all criticized Yoon Suk Yeol enormously for handpicking a party leader — is the president now doing the same thing?"


jshan@heraldcorp.com