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Lee Jun-seok apologizes for asking if sticking chopsticks in women is misogyny: 'I was quoting'

Published: 28 May. 2025, 15:00 Updated: 28 May. 2025, 18:36

Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate for the Reform Party, prepares for the third and final debate at the MBC studio in Mapo District, western Seoul, on May 27. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate for the minor Reform Party, issued an apology on Wednesday after drawing backlash for a controversial remark he made during the third televised presidential debate the previous night. The remark, which referenced a woman’s genitals, was widely criticized as inappropriate.

Speaking to reporters after a campaign stop at Yeouido Park in western Seoul, Lee said, “I was aware that some members of the public might have found it uncomfortable, and I sincerely apologize to them.”

During Tuesday’s debate, Lee directed a question at Kwon Young-kook, the candidate for the Democratic Labor Party, asking, “If someone says they want to stick chopsticks into a woman’s genitals or some place like that, is that misogyny?”

The question was an apparent attempt to connect the Democratic Party’s (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung to his son’s alleged misogynistic online comments.

Kwon declined to respond, and Lee Jae-myung rebuked Lee Jun-seok for focusing on “personal gossip instead of policies that improve people’s lives,” urging him to reflect on his approach.

Lee Jun-seok on Wednesday defended the context of his comment, claiming it was intended to highlight what he called “the hypocrisy of the progressive camp,” which, he said, often criticizes hate speech but stays silent on similar issues within its own ranks.

“They frequently talk about hate and division,” he said, “but fail to address problems in their own camp.”

Lee Jun-seok speaks to reporters after a campaign stop at Yeouido Park in western Seoul on May 28. [NEWS1]

He emphasized that his remark had been a paraphrased version of an actual statement.

“Those who’ve seen the original will know I actually toned it down,” Lee said. “I don’t know how I could have made it any milder. If anyone has suggestions on how to rephrase it, I’m open to that, but since I was quoting someone, I felt I had no choice.”

Lee added that his intention was not to focus on the graphic content itself but to question how the Democratic Labor Party and the DP would respond if such statements came from someone in their ranks.

“I wasn’t pointing to a specific incident,” he said. “I asked a hypothetical question to reveal the progressive bloc’s double standard on hate speech.”

He accused the progressive camp of undermining public discourse. “Their behavior is blocking rational debate from entering the public sphere,” Lee said. “I will continue to confront such hypocrisy.”

Lee Jun-seok also brought up previous controversies involving Lee Jae-myung, particularly the scrutiny around his son’s past behavior during the last election.

“At the time, there was considerable public interest in verifying the facts,” Lee said. “Lee Jae-myung didn’t fully explain the issue back then, and I don’t agree with the notion that it was acceptable then but inappropriate to bring up now.”

From left, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, Kwon Young-kook of the Democratic Labor Party, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party and Lee Jun-seok of the minor Reform Party take part in their third and final debate at the MBC studio in Mapo District, western Seoul, on May 27. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Lee's apology follows widespread criticism from all sides of the political aisle.

The DP swiftly condemned his remarks. DP chief spokesperson Cho Seung-rae released a written statement immediately after the broadcast, saying, “Lee Jun-seok shocked the public [...] by using language so violent it should never be spoken on air. His behavior is beyond justification, and he must take responsibility for this appalling verbal violence masquerading as debate.”

Kwon, whom Lee directly addressed during the exchange, also issued a statement expressing disbelief after the debate on Tuesday.

“I never imagined I’d hear something so jarring in a setting like this,” he wrote. “It was only after the debate ended that I realized the comment had been made to attack another candidate. The fact that such a remark could be uttered at all remains shocking.”

Kwon continued, “Citing a misogynistic statement on public television to attack a rival is no different from making the comment yourself. I express strong regret toward the National Election Debate Commission for failing to intervene.”

Candidates for Korea's 2025 presidential election are displayed on a screen at the National Election Commission's offices in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, on May 28. [YONHAP]

The controversy continued into Wednesday. Park Yong-jin, a former DP lawmaker, criticized Lee on Facebook, warning that “a vote for Lee Jun-seok might not be an investment in the future but a silent endorsement of misogyny.”

DP lawmaker Kim Young-ho said he had to turn off the TV while watching the debate with his elementary school-aged son, later choosing to watch the remainder alone on YouTube.

The backlash wasn’t limited to the opposition. Shin Dong-wook, a senior spokesperson for the conservative People Power Party, also criticized the remark.

When asked how the party viewed Lee’s statement, he responded, “It was inappropriate,” adding, “It’s not something we should be commenting on.”

Lee Jun-seok speaks to reporters after a campaign stop at Yeouido Park in western Seoul on May 28. [YONHAP]

The Reform Party candidate had initially doubled down on his remarks in a Facebook post earlier on Wednesday before his apology later that day.

“When confronted with a distorted sexual view that borders on a sex crime, a leader must be able to speak out decisively, regardless of status or rank,” Lee wrote.

“Once again, I must call out the hypocrisy of the progressive camp, which often invokes terms like hatred and division but refuses to examine the issues within its own ranks,” he added.

Lee then drew a comparison to a previous election controversy.

“In the 2017 presidential election, there was backlash over the term ‘pig aphrodisiac,’ but [then-candidate] Hong Joon-pyo acknowledged the inappropriate language in his memoir, explained it and offered a public apology,” he wrote.

“That’s the kind of leadership we need — one that may be uncomfortable but takes responsible positions in front of the people.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU, JO SU-BIN [[email protected]]