Democrats: 'Jang Dong-hyuk exploits Jesus's spirit to justify rebellion'

The Democratic Party has strongly condemned remarks made by People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk regarding the December 12th military coup, accusing him of attempting to justify a "rebellion" and further inflame public sentiment. Jang's statement, made at a press conference for foreign correspondents, suggested that the extent of harm and confusion caused by the coup was not fully understood, a sentiment the Democrats labeled as a "trampling" on the hearts of citizens already wounded by the events of the past.

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I don’t know what kind of harm and confusion the (emergency) martial law brought to the people.

Kang Joon-hyun, the Democratic Party's senior spokesperson, minced no words in his critique. He argued that the coup not only regressed South Korea's democratic standing by 45 years but also inflicted economic shocks, tarnished the nation's image, and disrupted the peaceful lives of its citizens by forcing them into a "square of overcoming rebellion." Kang questioned Jang's apparent ignorance of the profound suffering caused by the military action, highlighting the deep scars left on the nation's psyche and democratic progress.

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It’s not just that they’re returning to ‘Yoon Again,’ but they’re also trampling on the hearts of the people who were hurt by the rebellion.

Furthermore, the Democrats took issue with Jang's invocation of Christian faith to contextualize the coup. Jang had previously stated that "God's plan" was at play during the emergency martial law, drawing parallels to Judas's betrayal of Jesus. This theological framing was met with sharp disapproval, with Kang asserting that "emergency martial law is not God's plan, but the people's firm judgment." The party questioned Jang's qualification to appeal to the public when he seemed to align himself with a "rebellion party."

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God also fulfilled His redemptive history through the event of Judas betraying Jesus. That is my faith as a Christian.

From our perspective at the Hankyoreh, Jang Dong-hyuk's comments represent a deeply troubling attempt to reframe a dark chapter in our nation's history. While international media might report on the political exchange neutrally, we see it as a continuation of a pattern that seeks to downplay authoritarian actions and disregard the public's demand for accountability. The December 12th coup was a pivotal moment that threatened the very foundations of our democracy, and any attempt to minimize its impact or spiritualize its justification is an affront to the sacrifices made by those who fought for democratic freedoms. It is crucial for our political leaders to acknowledge the historical truth and the pain caused, rather than seeking to obscure it with questionable interpretations of faith or history.

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Emergency martial law is not God's plan, but the people's firm judgment.