Democratic lawmaker says Yu Simine's anger has 'turned into illness'

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Young-jin said Thursday that author Yu Simine's increasingly sharp attacks on the Lee Jae Myung government suggest the writer's long-simmering anger has "turned into an illness — and one that appears to be getting worse." Speaking on SBS Radio's "Kim Tae-hyun's Politics Show" that morning, Kim said Yu's "words and language are coming out far too excessively and harshly."

Yu had said on a YouTube broadcast Tuesday that President Lee holds "a position opposing the complete separation of investigation and indictment" under a proposed revision to the Criminal Procedure Act and "has been working to push that through." He added: "If that is the case, this government is a government headed for ruin."

Responding to pushback against his criticism, Yu said even the finest fish stall carries a smell, and that leaving it unchecked will eventually cause every stall to reek of rot. "Before it starts to rot, we must purify it quickly," he said.

Kim said he worried whether Yu's conduct still fell within the bounds of legitimate criticism and judgment, or whether it had crossed into the role of a cheerleader rather than a player. "A great many Democratic Party members and citizens are watching this with deep concern," he said.

He added that the time had come for Yu to reflect on his own role and consider, from the other side's perspective, what approach would best serve the unity and victory of the liberal-progressive camp and the Democratic Party.