The detained president will mobilize ruling party from prison to continue to unite its supporters, but experts warn that it could backfire
In South Korea’s history, five of the country’s 13 presidents were arrested and imprisoned during or after they were in office. Being behind the bar limits your ability to communicate freely with the public as you would when you were in the office. Still, most of them choose to send messages through visitors and their legal representatives, indicating that they are still influential. President Yoon Sak Yeol, who has been detained at Seoul Detention Center since last month, is no exception.
Several conservative ruling MPs visited Yun in prison and delivered his message to the public through the media that followed. He has been criticized by South Korea’s leading opposition Democrats for carrying out “prison politics” in recent weeks. While some may simply not want to be forgotten, observers say there is likely an impure motive lurking under his actions.
On February 3, Yoon was a visitor who was made up of a delegation of people’s Power Party MPs, including interim leader Kwon Young-se, floor leader Kwang Song-dong and five-term MP Nai Kyung-won. I received my first round. .
Shortly after their visit, NA lawmakers began to send Yoon’s message to reporters waiting outside the detention centre in Uiwang, Gyeonggi.
She says that Yoon is his attempt to resolve a situation in which his martial law orders have been paralyzed due to the Democratic Party’s “one-party dictatorship in the Diet.” I said I said I said to. . ”
She added that Yoon told them he was relieved that he “was able to reveal to the public the various actions that paralyzed the national issues by the Democrats.”
The second round to Yoon on February 7th also unfolded in a similar way by the pair known to be his loyal supporters, People’s Power Party Rep, Yoon Sang Hyun and Kim Meen Jung.
Shortly after finishing his 30-minute visit with the detained president, Yoon said he believed that Yoon had done a “great job” by appearing at the Constitutional Court trial the day before. He spoke to.
The main opposition criticized the move to convey the message of Yoon’s move as “prison politics” through visiting lawmakers and spokesmen.
“Instead of seeking an apology or unity among the people, President Yoon unveiled a message of opposition after his meeting (with ruling MPs) – he lined up everything in the ruling party through prison politics, “Democrats.” said Rep. Han Min So, a spokesman for the group.
According to experts, Yoon will be an attempt to unite his supporters and voters through PPP lawmakers visiting PPP lawmakers.
“This is an attempt to unify Yoon’s hardcore fans and supporters, which has repeatedly given them information that it was an unfair act by the Democrats who urged him to declare martial law. ” .
“It’s difficult to ignore the fandoms that have emerged through the imposition of martial law, especially because of the (conservative) bloc that has suffered from popularity for a long time,” he said. .
Yoon is considered one of the nation’s least popular presidents. He has been a liberal rival and currently the main opposition party chairman Lee Jae-myeon since being elected to the narrowest share of votes in Korean history (0.73% points) in 2022. I’m suffering from it.
Yun’s failed martial law on December 3rd hurt his reputation worldwide, but at the same time revealed what was hidden in front of Yoon’s hardcore far-right fans.
Yoon’s supporters, who are seeking immediate release from prison, not only held frequent rallies but also plotted the violent riots that attacked and invaded Seoul Western District Court on January 19th. It is said that it was carried out. Violence and vandalism in court, attacking the decision to issue a warrant for Yoon’s arrest.
“But this so-called prison politics could ultimately backfire Yoon and the ruling party, as a bluffed president could become a symbol of far-right conservatives.Relatively moderate voters.” Shin explained.
Yun is not the first president to be criticized for coordinating political manipulation from behind the bar. Former President Park Geun Hee, who had a significant fan base of her own, did not meet multiple lawmakers while in prison from early 2017 to late 2021. Her only interaction came with former Power Party MP Yoo Young-Ha, who served as her lawyer at the time.
Instead, her message was passed on through a book written in prison, written in the prison, published in late 2021.
A month before the 2020 presidential election, she voted for then-conservative presidential candidate Yoon through a handwritten letter released through Yoo, seeking unity between supporters and conservative voters. I did. Democrats at the time criticized the park for attacking her supporters while serving prison time.
In her book, a collection of letters written from prison, published hours before her release under the president’s pardon, she defended herself against the crimes she was convicted of. . She claimed that she had never engaged in “ughing,” including abuse of her powers to benefit those around her for personal gain.
