SEOUL– A leading contender for the leadership of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been embroiled in a dispute after posting a controversial photo taken with two celebrities.
Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, one of the frontrunners in the ongoing PPP leadership race, posted a photo taken with veteran trot singer Nam Jin and volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung on Facebook last Friday, writing a comment indicating they are his supporters.
In the photo, Rep. Kim was holding a bouquet of flowers, with the two celebrities raising their thumbs up. The lawmaker wrote that he would like to express his sincere gratitude to Kim Yeon-koung and Nam Jin, as they took their precious time to support him and even prepared a bouquet of flowers.
But a heated controversy has erupted after the two denied the lawmaker’s comment.
Nam said in a recent interview that he happened to run into Rep. Kim at a restaurant in Seoul’s Yeouido district before exchanging greetings and taking a photo together. The singer also insisted that the flower bouquet was brought by the conservative lawmaker himself.
“Rep. Kim is a complete stranger and I received many complaints from people in my hometown because of the photo. I’m embarrassed to get caught up in this (dispute) though I’m not politically inclined,” said Nam, who is from South Jeolla Province, a liberal stronghold.
Volleyball legend Kim reacted similarly, telling Yonhap News Agency by phone on Tuesday that she is in the same position as Nam.
She said she ran into Rep. Kim during a meal with her acquaintances and the flower bouquet was not prepared by her.
After the two celebrities’ remarks became known, Rep. Kim told reporters Wednesday that he regrets any possible misunderstanding from the photo, though he was told an acquaintance who arranged the photo opportunity had obtained their consent for posting the photo and comment.
Nevertheless, rival PPP contenders poured out criticism on the lawmaker. Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, another frontrunner in the PPP leadership race, said that the controversy should not have happened, accusing Rep. Kim of having posted the photo without having sufficient communication with the concerned persons.
Source: Yonhap News Agency