Lawmaker's 'punish Lee Jae Myung' video address sours festival opened by dancing civil servants

The efforts of Yeongju city civil servants — who performed a synchronized group dance to promote the 2026 Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival and invited the nation to "come to Punggi if you need energy" — have been overshadowed by controversy. A People Power Party lawmaker called for the "punishment of President Lee Jae Myung" during his congratulatory address at the festival's opening ceremony, and the Democratic Party of Korea has since pushed back.

The Democratic Party's North Gyeongsang Province chapter issued a statement Wednesday demanding a public apology from PPP lawmaker Im Jong-deuk, who represents the Yeongju, Yeongyang-gun and Bonghwa-gun constituency, accusing him of "defiling a civic festival with political agitation."

Im had sent a pre-recorded video address to the opening ceremony of the Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival, held in Punggi-eup, Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on Oct. 3, rather than attending in person.

On the same day, Im attended a PPP rally held near Sungnyemun Gate in Jung-gu, Seoul, calling for the "punishment of the Lee Jae Myung administration" and the restoration of public welfare and national security.

In his video address, Im said South Korean soldiers had been seriously wounded by a landmine explosion after North Korea crossed the MDL (Military Demarcation Line). He also said President Lee Jae Myung, as commander in chief of the armed forces, had described what he called a clear act of North Korean provocation as an "accidental incident" and had made no mention of demanding an apology from Pyongyang, a pledge against recurrence, or a firm response.

Im went on to say he could not stand by in the face of such conduct. He expressed regret at being unable to attend the festival from the start, calling it "a meaningful day marking the beginning of a great celebration in our hometown," but asked for understanding, saying the PPP rally was "a place where I fulfill my responsibility to build a country that stands by its soldiers to the end — a country where parents can trust the state and send their children to serve in the military."

He added that he would "head straight to Punggi" as soon as the rally ended.

About one-third of the roughly three-minute address was devoted to criticism of President Lee, according to reports.

Kim Myeong-jeong, spokesperson for the Democratic Party's North Gyeongsang Province chapter, said in a statement that Im had "rattled off lengthy criticism of the government, leaving those in attendance dumbfounded," and asked: "Is the Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival a People Power Party event? Has the festival grounds become a stage for PPP political agitation?"

Kim demanded that Im "publicly apologize to the people of Yeongju and the nation for a video address that turned the festival opening ceremony into an arena for political squabbling," saying it was shameful conduct before citizens who came to the festival united in their love for Yeongju, regardless of political views, and guests who had traveled from afar.

The Democratic Party also urged the Yeongju Culture and Tourism Foundation and Yeongju city — which oversee and manage the festival — to issue a stern warning to Im and take steps to prevent a recurrence.

Comments on the YouTube livestream of the opening ceremony reflected discomfort with Im's remarks. One viewer wrote that the festival preparations had been impressive and the civil servants had clearly worked hard, but that Im's political remarks during the congratulatory video had been "uncomfortable to hear at a festival." Another commenter asked whether "such talk was really necessary at a festival."

The Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival had drawn wide attention through a promotional video featuring the city's own civil servants.

In the clip, released late last month, Yeongju Vice Mayor Eom Tae-hyeon appears taking a bite out of a whole ginseng root. As the vice mayor, dressed in a white shirt, stands at the center of a staircase, more than 60 senior civil servants in black uniforms break into a synchronized dance to music.

The video, a parody of the music video for "STORM II" by French music group GENER8ION, went viral online and has surpassed 5 million views.

Yeongju city also toured the country — stopping at Seoul's Cheongnyangni Station and visiting Daegu, Busan and Jeju, among other cities — to promote the festival under the slogan "Come to Punggi if you need energy!"