Koreans call it “jjokpa”. This green onion is widely used in the traditional cuisine of this Asian country of 51 million inhabitants. It is used to make very popular broths or pancakes like pajeon. In recent weeks, this vegetable has also become one of the most notable events in the campaign for the legislative elections, which are being held this Wednesday in South Korea. Whose fault is it ? A big blunder by conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is fighting to try to regain control of his country’s Parliament.
On March 18, the president made a fool of himself by visiting a fruit and vegetable store in Seoul to see the price of food. As in many countries, the issue of food inflation is at the heart of Koreans’ concerns. To show his determination to fight against rising prices, President Yoon grabbed a bunch of green onions sold for 875 won, or around 60 euro cents, believing that the price was “reasonable”. What the Head of State obviously did not know is that the price of the boot is normally three to four times higher than in stores. The store, alerted to Yoon’s visit, lowered its prices before the president’s arrival.
This sequence provoked both anger and laughter from the population, confirming that their elected official was living disconnected from reality. An avalanche of “memes” hit social media. And the bunch of green onions has become a symbol of the opposition, notably taken up by the left as an emblem of the social struggle, pushing into the background the classic themes of the economy or nuclear missiles designed by neighbor Kim Jong. One in North Korea. A phenomenon which even pushed the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to ban green onions near the polls, fearing “interference with the elections”. In response, many voters imagined parades, grabbing anything that resembled the famous vegetable to go vote with.
A problematic Dior handbag
This is not the first controversy that the 63-year-old president has faced. His wife Kim Keon Hee was also framed by a left-wing pastor who filmed her on a hidden camera in 2022 while he gave her a luxurious Dior handbag. Problem: The gift is a violation of rules prohibiting political leaders and their spouses from receiving gifts worth more than $750. Having gone viral at the end of the year, the video caused harm to the 51-year-old first lady. In total, 44.2 million voters are called to the polls to elect their new parliament.