South Korean 'Democracy' in action

 

About one week ago Kang Sung Hee, a member of South Korea's small progressive Jinbo Party shook President Yoon Suk Yeol's hand in a reception line at an opening ceremony, and said to him "If government policy does not change, the people will become unhappy". 

The president's office says they considered the MP a security threat. They claimed he refused to let go of the president's hand -- not true, as you can tell by the video.  He continues saying "Government Policy has to change" after the president ignores him and continues past him, but he is polite and uses honorifics. At this point, security muzzles him and drags him out. 

This is the kind of thing former US supported South Korean military dictator Park Chung Hee (1961-1979) used to do when he was in power.

This is America's democratic ally in action.

President Yoon Suk Yeol belongs to the right-wing People Power Party. He has been president of South Korea since 2022.  

Yoon has been accused of having a pro-Japanese stance on historical issues and Japanese colonialism. 

Yoon has expressed active support for the possibility of South Korea having their own nuclear weapons. On 22 September 2021, Yoon stated that he will ask that the United States redeploy tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea if there is a threat from North Korea.

Nuclear weapons have not been deployed by the US in South Korea since the early 1990s, after an agreement with Russia and in an effort to ease tensions between North and South Korea. 

On 12 November 2021, Yoon indicated that he would also be open to more US THAAD missile deployments in South Korea.   

In April 2023, Yoon's public approval ratings were at 30%, largely due to widespread disapproval of Yoon's Japanese policy.  

~ Thanks to K. J. Noh for much of this info.