[The Public = Reporter Kim Jong-yeon] An audio recording has emerged in which the assault victim directly denies an incident that Seoul mayoral candidate Jeong Won-oh has described as a dispute over differing views of the May 18 Democratic Movement 31 years ago. The recording follows a transcript released the previous day by Rep. Kim Jae-seop of the People Power Party and has reignited controversy.
On the 14th, political sources said Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the People Power Party released the victim’s recorded statement. In the recording, the victim says, “They claim the fight started over an argument about May 18, but I don’t recall that at all, and I have no memory of receiving an apology.” Those remarks directly contradict Jeong’s December Facebook post, in which he wrote that a dispute had occurred with a secretary to a Minjadang MP over differing views on the May 18 Democratic Movement and that he apologized to those involved and was forgiven.
The audio aligns with the transcript Rep. Kim released the day before — the Oct. 20, 1995 plenary session of the 50th Yangcheon District Council. The 31-page record shows multiple council members repeatedly raising Jeong’s case during their questions — including Wi Yong-bok, Jang Haeng-il, Han Kwang-seop and Moon Hyung-seok — yet the term “May 18” does not appear even once.
During the plenary session, Councilor Jang Haeng-il said, “Around 11 p.m. on Oct. 11 at a cafe in Sinjeong 5-dong, Yangcheon-gu, the chief secretary and a secretary consumed about 150,000 KRW (approximately $112.50) in alcohol and then demanded that the cafe owner allow a female employee to stay overnight with them. When the owner refused, they threatened him, saying, ‘Are you going to run the business forever?’ A nearby customer tried to intervene, and the chief secretary assaulted that customer, causing injuries that required a two-week medical diagnosis. They also assaulted two police officers, and the secretary — who was Jeong’s aide — allegedly self-harmed on the spot and obstructed official duties.”
Jang said he based his remarks on a CBS morning news report on the 13th and the results of his office’s own inquiry, making clear on the council floor that he had cross-checked external reporting with an internal review.
Other councilors’ criticisms are also recorded in the transcript. Wi Yong-bok, the first questioner, said the reports on KBS1, KBS2 and CBS and coverage in national newspapers had spread nationwide and damaged the reputation of all Yangcheon residents. He said that, regardless of motive, the chief secretary and the secretary assaulting residents and police officers was a grave wrongdoing. Han Kwang-seop added that it smeared the district chief’s reputation, and Moon Hyung-seok said, “As a resident of Yangcheon, I feel ashamed and embarrassed.”
The most telling moment came in the response from then-Yangcheon District Mayor Yang Jae-ho. He said, “Regarding the incident that occurred the night of the 11th at a local nightlife establishment, regardless of the particulars, I regard the matter as very serious and, as deputy mayor, I sincerely apologize on behalf of the roughly 1,300 public servants in Yangcheon-gu whom I supervise.” By explicitly calling the scene a nightlife establishment, the mayor — Jeong’s direct superior at the time — issued a broad apology without disputing any of the facts Jang presented.
Jeong’s campaign previously dismissed Rep. Kim’s Oct. 13 disclosure as one-sided, noting that the court ruling characterized the event as a discussion about political relations that escalated because the parties belonged to different factions. But faced with a transcript that includes the then-mayor’s apparent acceptance of the facts and consistent questioning by multiple councilors, that rebuttal looks less persuasive.
Jeong himself has largely remained silent. At a recent policy announcement in the National Assembly, he avoided answering reporters’ questions about the assault; aides interrupted, saying, “We will respond separately.” Cameras also captured Mapo district mayoral candidate Yoo Dong-gyun leaning in and whispering “Don’t answer” into Jeong’s ear during an event days earlier when Jeong raised plagiarism allegations over a pledged 250,000 KRW (approximately $187.50) program for stray dogs. Meanwhile, Jeong’s team has filed a complaint against Rep. Kim for releasing the transcript.
The People Power Party responded with a series of statements calling for Jeong’s withdrawal, issued under the names of floor communications chief Park Chung-kwon, spokesperson Choi Bo-yoon and Seongdong district mayoral candidate Ko Jae-hyun. Park said, “Jeong is dressing up a shameful assault record as a ‘difference in perception of the May 18 Democratic Movement’ and using the movement’s sacred values to whitewash his crimes. He is the perpetrator of a crude, drunken rampage who demanded an overnight stay from a female worker, threatened the owner and even assaulted citizens and police officers.” Park also argued that the Democratic Party cannot evade responsibility for nominating someone unfit, citing past sexual misconduct scandals involving other officials.
Spokesperson Choi added, “Jeong has misled the public by treating his assault record like some kind of ‘medal earned defending democracy.’ Forcing a female employee to stay overnight and assaulting innocent citizens and police have nothing to do with the May 18 Movement.”
Ko Jae-hyun said in a separate statement, “The explanation Jeong has posted on Facebook for 30 years — that the incident was a ‘dispute over differing perceptions of the May 18 Democratic Movement’ — has been disproven by the victim’s own words. May 18 is a narrative Jeong grafted onto his political career three decades later; it had nothing to do with that day or that place.”
