"Apologies Are for Dogs?" Yoon Seok-youl's "Apple" Posts on Instagram Stir Controversy

[경향신문]

A picture of a person handing an apple to the former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl’s pet dog, Tory, was posted on an Instagram account opened in Tory’s name and managed by Yoon’s camp. Captured from Tory’s Instagram account

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl apologized for his comments supporting Chun Doo-hwan, then stirred controversy by posting a picture of him handing an apple to his dog on social media. The Korean words for apple (sagua) and apology (sagua) are homonyms. Yoon’s post drew criticism that he was mocking the public, who demanded an apology from Yoon.

Around midnight on October 22, a picture of a person handing a green apple to Tory was posted @tory.stagram, the Instagram account of Tory, Yoon’s pet dog. Below the picture, there was the explanation, “Dad picked another Indian apple from the tree today. Tory, like Dad, likes Indian apples.” The post also included the hashtags, #TheCatsinOurHouse_DontEatIndianApples and #YouGuysEatChuru! They seemed to be telling Yoon’s pet cats to eat Churu (a cat treat), since they didn’t eat apples.

A picture of an apple also appeared on the Instagram account @sukyeol.youn. A picture of an apple tied to a tree in the house with a string and a picture of Yoon when he was a child were posted together. The post explained that Yoon’s father used to buy apples and hang them on the tree in the yard with strings when he returned from work and that Yoon used to like picking and eating the apples. The post included the hashtags #PersonalGrowthStory and #IndianApplefromMyMemories.

A picture of an apple was posted on an Instagram account opened in the name of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. Captured from former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl’s Instagram account

The intention behind the apple posts were not revealed, but many guessed that Yoon responded with mockery to the constant demands for an apology following his comments on Chun Doo-hwan. Yoon had mentioned the former president, Chun Doo-hwan and said, “Except for the military coup d’etat and the May 18 Uprising, there are many people who say he did well in politics.” When the remark stirred a public uproar, two days later on October 21, he humbled himself and officially apologized through a statement posted on social media. But shortly after that apology, Yoon uploaded the apple posts, which could be seen as ridicule, on social media. At present, the apple posts on Tory’s and Yoon’s Instagram account have all been taken down.

People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, who is spearheading Yoon’s election campaign, appeared on the MBC radio show, Kim Jong-bae’s Focus, this morning and said, “Instagram posts are not interesting if they are too serious and solemn.” He further explained, “His official position was the regret he expressed on his Facebook account and in yesterday’s press conference. That was his official position. And you can think of the Instagram posts as just adding a little fun.” As for the intention or the details of how the pictures were posted, Kweon said, “I’m not sure since it happened in the middle of the night.”

This day, People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok wrote on his social media account, “I got up this morning and found this beyond common sense... confused...” It seemed to be his response to Yoon’s apple posts. Other People Power presidential candidates also criticized Yoon. Yeo Myeong, the spokesperson for lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo released a comment titled, “Apologies Are for Dogs?” and attacked, “He just whacked the people in the back of their heads after they had to practically force an apology from him,” and asked, “If he’s not trying to say apologies are for dogs, then what is he trying to say?” Yeo also said, “Yoon ridiculed all our party members and the people.” Gweon Seong-ju, the spokesperson for former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min said, “An uncanny candidate who apologizes because he has to in front of the people while mocking them behind their backs is not qualified to become the president of the Republic of Korea.” Shin Bo-ra, senior spokesperson for former Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong said, “We can’t just let this pass as a mistake by the person in charge of social media,” and added, “Think of the deep despair the people must have felt while the picture of him handing an apple to a dog was online.”