A brave new world of verbal attacks

The sparring between Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers and their archenemy, Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, is turning dirtier and vicious. The outbursts of their vulgar slanders and insults are irksome to the public eyes and ears.

DP Rep. Kim Yong-min, who heads a team to counterattack against prosecutors for their investigation into their suspicions, called the justice minister a “beast who would ultimately bite the president.” The lawmaker attacked the justice minister for “failing to maintain minimum civility” after he criticized the majority party for habitually turning to impeach whomever it dislikes. The lawmaker’s peer, Yoon Jung-joo, played with his surname (Han) on her social media, which can mean “woeful” in different Chinese characters. She accused Han of being “not-so-youthful and disgusting for degrading our politics.” Another DP member Min Hyung-bae even used swear words to call the justice minister. All of them lost dignity and decency as legislators.

It was former DP leader Song Young-gil who triggered the rant barrage. During his book publishing event on Nov. 9, he lashed curses against the justice minister for “torturing me for six months over the allegations about cash handouts during the last DP convention,” which “cannot be a grave crime.” Song raised his voice against the “insolent” minister who humiliated and offended 300 lawmakers who are mostly older than him in age and experience.

If Song had complaints about the prosecution’s investigation, he should have taken legal procedures instead of hurling vulgar insults at the justice minister and losing his dignity as a five-term lawmaker who even served as the head of the main opposition. His insulting reference to the minister’s younger age goes against his own rhetoric against the so-called “kkondae” (old-school) ways.

Han also had not contained himself well. He responded that the opposition’s heavyweights had “degraded politics for decades with their sense of superiority from having been democracy fighters in the past.” When the DP threatened to impeach prosecutors investigating its suspicions, Han retorted by asking how the DP would feel if the Justice Ministry filed a claim for a constitutional court review to determine whether the party deserves to be disbanded for destroying the principle of free democracy. Although Han claimed it was an exaggeration to make a point, his comment also can jeopardize the foundation of representative democracy.

Politics is based on language-based communication. When the language goes too far, it can cause dysfunction in democracy with no room for compromise and dialogue. The mud fight may please some radical supporters of the DP, but it can turn most of the people cold and away from politics. A party representing the people and an official serving the people must watch their language and behavior.