Is Calling a 50-Year-Old ‘Oppa’ to a Child Child Abuse? Controversy Surrounds Democratic Party’s Strategy

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On May 3, the People Power Party sharply criticized Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, accusing him of child sexual harassment after he urged a child to call the Democratic Party’s strategically nominated candidate in the Busan Buk-gap parliamentary by-election, Ha Jung-woo, “oppa.”

That day, Jeong toured Busan’s Buk-gu district, including Gupo Market, to rally support for Ha. During the visit, he pressed a young girl in the lower grades of elementary school to say “Jeong-woo oppa”—prompting her to call Ha “oppa.” Ha, seated in front of the girl, pointed to himself and echoed “oppa.”

When the girl looked around uncertainly, Jeong repeated, “Say oppa.” After she reluctantly whispered it, Ha exclaimed “aigo” and clapped. The video spread quickly online.

Responding on Facebook, Park Jung-hoon, a first-term People Power representative from Seoul’s Songpa A district, said asking an elementary student to call a politician more than 40 years her senior “oppa” was clearly child sexual harassment. He called it a grim, no-laugh reality of Korean politics that someone like this could lead the ruling party.

Park added that while such behavior from the Democratic Party is not new, Ha—who echoed “oppa” and laughed—was equally culpable.

Seong Il-jong, a three-term People Power lawmaker representing Seosan–Taean in South Chungcheong, also posted on Facebook, calling it disgraceful to force a first-grade girl to call 62-year-old Jeong and 50-year-old Ha “oppa.”

He said the two men taking turns pressuring a hesitant child to say “oppa” amounted to a form of child abuse, and asked how uncomfortable the girl must have been having to reluctantly call someone likely much older than her father “oppa.”

Directing his remarks at Ha, he wrote: “Ha Jung-woo, at 50, do you really want to hear an 8-year-old girl call you ‘oppa’? No matter how urgently you need votes, should you be causing a child distress?”

Former People Power leader Han Dong-hoon asked whether Democratic Party figures Ha Jung-woo and Jeong Cheong-rae realize their behavior was wrong, and whether they would tolerate the same treatment if their own young children were surrounded by two men in their 50s and 60s.