Singer Na Hoon-a faced criticism over the weekend from members of the Democratic Party of South Korea, who accused him of sowing division and demanded that he “keep quiet.”
The backlash stemmed from remarks he made during his retirement concert on Jan. 10, where he appeared to criticize the opposition party. Na reportedly commented on S. Korea’s political climate following a state of emergency declaration, saying, “The opposition party hasn’t done anything right either.”
During the performance, Na gestured to his left arm and asked, “Have you done any better?” Then, raising both arms, he added, “The left is accusing the right of being wrong.” His remarks were widely understood as a metaphor, likening the opposition to his left arm.
On Jan. 12, Na echoed similar sentiments during another concert, saying, “In a country already divided, elections turn one side red and the other blue. We cannot hand such a divided nation to the next generation.” He continued, “Sowing division won’t solve anything,” he said. “When my brother and I fought, my mother would step in and punish us both. She didn’t care who was right or wrong—she held everyone accountable.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party launched an immediate offensive after Na’s Nov. 10 remarks gained attention. Lawmaker Kim Won-i criticized Na on Facebook, describing him as ridiculous and suggesting that if Na had chosen to live with his eyes closed and mouth shut, he should continue doing so rather than offering unsolicited advice. Kim added that Na should simply live as he always had.
Democratic Party member Lee Eon-joo also took aim at Na, writing on Facebook that those who defend President Yoon Suk-yeol and the ruling People Power Party cannot be considered true conservatives or right-wing individuals. She called such people pitiable, claiming they fail to understand the core ideologies of conservatism or liberal democracy. A lawyer affiliated with the Democratic Party compared Na’s remarks to victim-blaming, suggesting that it was akin to questioning a victim of assault about their own actions while ignoring the attacker’s wrongdoing.
The controversy has drawn attention to what critics call the Democratic Party’s double standards. While the party has historically supported artists who express views aligning with their own, they have demanded silence from Na. Opponents argue that this reflects the same kind of censorship the Democratic Party frequently criticizes the ruling party for enforcing.
The situation coincided with the Democratic Party’s announcement of legal actions against conservative YouTubers.
On Jan. 10, a team within the Democratic Party focused on monitoring and addressing disinformation filed complaints against six right-wing YouTubers, accusing them of supporting insurrection by spreading false claims defending President Yoon’s emergency decree. Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi stated that even ordinary citizens who share fake news about inciting rebellion on platforms like KakaoTalk or online communities could face serious charges. He emphasized that the party would not hesitate to file complaints, regardless of the individuals’ status.
The accused YouTubers were said to have made provocative and unverified statements, including calling the National Assembly a “nest of Democratic Party spies.”
However, critics argue that there is a significant difference between prosecuting extreme YouTubers for their provocative actions and labeling ordinary citizens as accomplices to rebellion simply for sharing news. They point out that in such a highly polarized political climate, determining what qualifies as incitement to rebellion is inherently subjective and prone to arbitrary interpretation. This has led members of the ruling People Power Party to condemn the Democratic Party’s approach, comparing it to mob trials and accusing them of forcing dissenters into ideological conformity dictated by the party.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also joined the criticism, accusing the Democratic Party of double standards. He pointed out on Facebook that the same party that once invited liberal commentator Kim Eo-jun to the National Assembly to promote divisive views was now threatening to prosecute ordinary citizens for their private messages on KakaoTalk.
In response, Democratic Party Senior Spokesperson Cho Seung-rae clarified that the party’s actions were directed at organized disinformation campaigns and not aimed at censoring individual citizens.
However, critics pointed to a bill proposed by Chung Choon-saeng of the National Innovation Party, a Democratic Party ally, which includes penalties of up to 10 years in prison or fines of up to 30 million won ($22,300) for spreading false election-related information on social media or during protests. Opponents argue that this bill amounts to a form of social media censorship.
A spokesperson for the People Power Party, Seo Ji-young, accused the Democratic Party of trying to silence dissent by criminalizing citizens who refuse to follow its narrative. Seo described the party’s actions as a dangerous attempt to suppress opposing voices and impose ideological conformity.
