Opposition lawmakers reject president's Chuseok gifts

Chuseok gift sent from President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee to Rep. Lee Sung-yoon. (Lee's Facebook)

Some opposition party lawmakers took to social media to reject Chuseok gifts sent by President Yoon Suk Yeol, posting photos of the gifts and criticizing the administration.

Rep. Kim Joon-hyung of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party posted a picture to Facebook on Wednesday showing him returning the unopened gift to a parcel delivery worker.

“I clearly told them not to send gifts,” Kim said in the post. “But just like how he handles diplomacy, appoints ministers as he pleases and even skips the opening ceremony of the parliament, Yoon sent a gift that I said I wouldn’t receive.”

Kim added that he immediately returned the gift and apologized to the delivery worker for the inconvenience. “Instead of sending unwanted regional gifts made with the sweat and blood of (the people), he should focus on taking care of people’s livelihoods,” he said.

Every year, the president and the first lady send out Chuseok gifts, mostly consisting of regional specialty products from across Korea. This year, the gifts included traditional liquor, apple red pepper paste, pear jam, onion jam and a cosmetics set.

Rep. Lee Sung-yoon of the major opposition Democratic Party of Korea uploaded a similar post to Facebook, stating that a delivery arrived from Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon Hee. “Why do you keep sending gifts like a stalker, even when I don’t want them?” Lee wrote.

Jeong Hye-kyeong of the Progressive Party also shared her discontent, saying, “I refuse the gift from President Yoon, who rejects the people.” She questioned the president's decision to send the gift while ignoring the parliament by not attending the opening ceremony of the National Assembly on Monday.

By Ahn Sung-mi(sahn@heraldcorp.com)