'Politics of barbarism,' party says
Jang accused of defending Yoon despite insurrection charges
PPP threatens legal action over leaked recording
The Democratic Party of Korea on Thursday sharply criticized People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok over a leaked audio recording in which he allegedly used profanity, demanding that he be "completely driven out of Korean politics."
Park Sung-jun, the Democratic Party's chief spokesperson, said in a written briefing that Jang's political conduct could be summed up in one phrase: "politics of barbarism." "There is no respect or courtesy toward others — only crude remarks, reckless statements, expletives and the instincts of a beast," Park said.
Park said the recording, made public on Wednesday, "was a shock in itself," describing how Jang allegedly hurled profanity at President Lee Jae Myung and directed expletives at individual media outlets by name. "There were also scenes that appeared to use expletives to refer to People Power Party lawmakers who voted for impeachment," Park said. "There was no dignity befitting a lawmaker, nor any discernible view of the press."
Park particularly took issue with Jang's apparent defense of former President Yoon Suk Yeol in the recording. "Jang said, 'I wish we had blocked the impeachment,'" Park said. "He called Yoon Suk Yeol 'our president' and embraced him, showing not a shred of remorse over his removal from office."
Park also criticized Jang's stance on election fraud conspiracy theories. "Jang has ridden the 'rigged election conspiracy theory' and the 'Olgong spirit' to hold on to the party leadership," Park said. "Yet in this recording, he says 'I don't really like the fraud stuff' and 'I hate all rich people,' revealing that he himself does not believe the rigged-election claims."
Park then asked, "Did he use a conspiracy theory he himself does not believe as a tool for political propaganda? Did he deceive both the public and his own supporters?"
Park also hit back at the PPP's warning of legal action over how the recording was obtained and distributed. "Despite a string of expletive-laden remarks and reckless statements, Jang has not even apologized," Park said. "Instead, the PPP dismissed it as heated language from a drinking gathering and threatened to file a criminal complaint."
Park added, "Have they still not broken the habit of silencing critics that Yoon Suk Yeol practiced? Instead of threatening legal action to shut people up, Jang should first reflect on his own words."
"Jang Dong-hyeok needs to become a decent human being before he can be a politician," Park said. "There has never been such a barbaric party leader in the history of Korean politics. He must be completely driven out of Korean politics."
The recording was released Wednesday by conservative YouTube channels Shinuihansoo and Hong Cheol-gi TV, among others. It purportedly captured a private conversation involving a person believed to be Jang from last July, ahead of the PPP's national convention. The recording contains profanity and crude language used while discussing primary election strategy for the party leadership race and matters related to former President Yoon.
In response, the PPP leader's office expressed "deep regret" over the release of the private conversation and said it would pursue legal action — including a criminal complaint and a civil damages claim — after investigating how the recording was obtained and distributed.
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