President Yoon heckler identified as Justice Party spokesperson

Politics

Published: 19 Feb. 2024, 12:18 Updated: 19 Feb. 2024, 18:01

President Yoon heckler identified as Justice Party spokesperson

Shin Min-ki, spokesperson for the Daejeon wing of the Justice Party, is approached by security after he shouted at President Yoon Suk Yeol demanding a budget increase in the government’s research and development (R&D) field on Friday during the 2024 commencement ceremony held at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. [NEW1]

The man who heckled President Yoon Suk Yeol's speech at KAIST is a spokesperson for the Daejeon wing of the Justice Party, a minor progressive party.

Shin Min-ki blamed the presidential office for being excessive in pulling him from the crowd at the university in Daejeon on Friday.

"I was forcibly removed even though I was not in a position to threaten [the president]," he said in a press conference on Monday.

The heckler attended his commencement ceremony at KAIST in Daejeon on Friday, which the president also attended to give a congratulatory speech to the graduates.

During the ceremony, Shin shouted at the president demanding a budget increase in the government’s research and development (R&D) field, which was cut down to some 15 percent compared to 2023, according to reports.

After Shin caused a scene and was forcefully removed by presidential security, controversy sparked over the agents' use of force.

Shin requested an apology from the President on the same day of the commencement ceremony on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A similar incident occurred on Jan. 18, when Rep. Kang Sung-hee of the minor progressive Jinbo Party was escorted out by presidential security after causing a disturbance during an event.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]