"Please don't stab your junior too deeply"... Cho Kuk unable to hide his hurt over Park Ji-won's harsh criticism

[Financial News] Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party's Innovation Policy Research Institute, directly rebutted Park Ji-won, a DPK lawmaker, who recently criticized his 'Red Team' activities as "sour grapes over losing the election." He sharpened his criticism by saying that those shaking up the party with presidential ambitions were elsewhere and urging Park to "rebuke the sycophants who are splitting the camp." At the same time, he could not hide his hurt over their longstanding relationship.
In a post on social media on the 17th, Cho said, "Rep. Park Ji-won is a senior figure with whom I have had ties since my days as a professor and from whom I have learned a great deal. But just as you used to engage in 'Moon-morning,' you have recently been doing 'Cho-morning,' targeting me." The term 'Moon-morning' refers to Park's past practice of repeatedly criticizing former President Moon Jae-in at every morning meeting.
Earlier that morning, Park appeared on the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) radio program 'Jeonggyeok Sisa' and criticized Cho's recent confrontational stance toward the DPK and President Lee Jae Myung, saying, "This is nothing more than sour grapes over losing the election." He went on to pressure Cho to join the DPK, saying, "It is difficult to seek the presidency as a member of the Rebuilding Korea Party. If you want to catch a tiger, you must enter the tiger's den—the DPK."
Cho responded, "You presumably know well why I chose Pyeongtaek instead of Busan, and I don't think you consider me foolish enough to engage in politics merely to vent my frustration. Even if you are reprimanding a much younger junior, please don't stab me too deeply," revealing his hurt feelings.
He also clearly rejected suggestions that he was laying the groundwork for a presidential bid. Cho emphasized, "I do not regard the presidency as a trophy to be hunted down and won, nor did I enter politics by treating the DPK as a target to hunt for the sake of becoming president. A person who engages in politics out of an ambition to become president can never become president."
Referring to the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's reckoning and the impeachment period, he said, "The DPK and the Rebuilding Korea Party were fellow hunters who worked together to catch the 'tiger' of conservative forces. Once the tiger menace was eliminated, some in the DPK began criticizing and mocking the fellow hunters who had once been their allies."
He then turned his arrows toward the DPK's internal ranks. Cho asked, "Who is pursuing 'personal politics' out of presidential ambition now, and who is leading the effort to split the camp that joined forces to defeat the insurrection and establish the Lee Jae Myung administration?" He continued, "Shouldn't you, Rep. Park, rebuke these 'sycophants' first rather than blame me?"
Cho added that current polls measuring support for presidential contenders were meaningless, saying, "The success of the Lee Jae Myung administration and victory in the 2028 general election are the top priorities."
Although the two men had traded barbs, Cho also showed regard for their personal relationship at the end of his post. He said, "I will gratefully enjoy the abalone you sent me as a Chuseok gift. In return, I sent you traditional liquor brewed by a company based in Pyeongtaek."
[email protected] Moon Young-jin Reporter