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| Kim Dae-ho, a main opposition United Future Party candidate for Gwanak-A district, poses during the party's campaign committee meeting at the party headquarters in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap |
Kim Dae-ho, who is running in Gwanak-A district of Seoul under the main opposition United Future Party's (UFP) ticket, said people in the age group lack logic, saying they do not support the conservative party because they do not know how the country has grown.
"Those in their 60s to 70s are well aware how Korea has achieved development despite poor conditions, but I think those in their mid-30s to 40s are not. When they were born, the country had already achieved a certain level of development, and it seems their standard (for a good country) is Europe, the U.S. or Japan," he said in the party's campaign committee meeting, Monday.
"They do not know the structures, causes and forces that made Korea this much developed, so they seek to destroy the structure," the 56-year-old said. "People in their 50s to 70s have logic when they bring up an issue. But people in their 30s to 40s do not have logic but only vague sentiment, huge ignorance and delusion."
His comment went viral online and drew criticism for disparaging that age group.
Then his party moved fast to distance itself from him, being mindful that his remarks could bring serious backlash from the age group.
"I hope you will not deal with that individual's comments as the party's stance," Kim Chong-in, the co-head of the UFP's campaign committee, told reporters later in the day. "I just think the person (Kim) has a personality problem."
Kim Dae-ho also offered an apology for his "inconsiderate" remarks. "What I meant was, the UFP needs to accept the cold shoulder given by people in their 30s and 40s toward the party, as a tool for introspection," he wrote on Facebook.
The UFP once considered placing him under disciplinary committee review, but decided to wrap up the case by issuing a "stark warning."
Kim's apology and the party's decision were not enough to relieve the anger of voters in the age group.
"All age groups, not only those in their 30s and 40s but also those in their teens and 20s, have their own hardships," a blogger in his 30s wrote. "If we are that illogical and ignorant, why are they begging us for votes?"
Expressing hope for Kim's defeat in the election, another internet user wrote, "I hope Kim will see the power of ignorant 40-somethings."
The row over disparaging a specific age group was reminiscent of a previous case back in 2004 ahead of the general election then.
Chung Dong-young, who was the head of the liberal, then-ruling Uri Party's campaign committee, made a comment that indicated votes by the elderly were not important.
While encouraging young people to vote, he said in an interview, "The future is for people in their 20s and 30s. In that sense, those in their 60s and 70s don't need to vote. They don't need to decide the future (of the young people). They can rest at home."
His remark drew criticism from the elderly, with the Korean Senior Citizens Association holding a protest to call for his retirement from politics. Chung was forced to step down as head of the committee and reject his candidacy for the party's proportional representative.
