Park Ji-won tells Cho Kuk to lie low: 'No future if you stay stubborn'

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Park Ji-won urged former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk to keep a low profile after Cho posted a series of social media messages related to the far-right online community Ilbe, warning that such behavior "will only distance him further from the public."

Appearing on SBS Radio's "Kim Tae-hyun's Politics Show" on Monday, Park said Cho had posted 30 messages on social media within the past week alone. "If he keeps doing that, public sentiment will only get worse," Park said. "He's a smart person — I don't understand why he's acting this way. He's doing something foolish."

Park then advised Cho to step back. "Since Cho has failed, it would be better for him to lie low, stay quiet for a while, and then try again," he said.

Responding to reports that some within the Rebuilding Korea Party had suggested Cho go abroad for a time but that he had refused, Park said, "I heard they told him to go overseas for a bit, but he wouldn't listen." He added: "If he stays this stubborn, he has no future."

Park also offered a broader reflection. "In life and in politics, there are difficult times, but you have to endure them and turn them into an opportunity," he said. "If you throw punches and kicks just because you're angry, only your own hands and feet will hurt."

The controversy stems from remarks made by Won-i, a member of the girl group RESCENE, who used the word "museopno" — a phrase that drew criticism as an expression associated with Ilbe. In response, Cho posted on Facebook on July 5, explaining how to distinguish between the Gyeongsang dialect ending "no" and the same ending used by Ilbe users to mock the late former President Roh Moo-hyun. He also argued that mechanically attaching "no" to questions constitutes a hate expression.

The backlash grew, with critics accusing Cho of trying to conduct an ideological vetting based on a single word ending. On Sunday, Cho moved to contain the fallout, saying "I deeply regret and am saddened that my posts have been used as an occasion to hurt RESCENE and its fans." He added: "I never mentioned or targeted RESCENE in any of my posts. I never said RESCENE was Ilbe."

Cho explained that his intention had been to highlight how deeply Ilbe culture — which he said has persistently mocked democratic values and human rights — had permeated everyday language in Korean society. "What I lamented in particular," he said, "was the phenomenon of Ilbe-style use of 'no,' which originated as a way to mock the late President Roh Moo-hyun, spreading throughout our society without any criticism and being tacitly tolerated."