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DP, PPP can't even play video games together without disagreements, insults

Published: 02 Oct. 2025, 20:59

KIM MIN-YOUNG
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A poster promoting a StarCraft competition between (from left) liberal Democratic Party Rep. Mo Gyeong-jong, minor conservative Reform Party Rep. Lee Jun-seok and conservative People Power Party Rep. Kim Jae-sub [JOONGANG ILBO]

An online video gaming tournament aimed to facilitate friendship among rival political parties is doing the exact opposite, as it draws criticism from both sides and lawmakers over its content and timing.

“I deeply apologize to everyone who was disappointed,” wrote Rep. Mo Gyeong-jong of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) on his X account Thursday, announcing that he will drop out of the game. “As many of you sternly pointed out, now is the time for all of us to fight as one. I humbly accept your rebuke.”

Mo added, “I sincerely apologize for causing concern with news of my participation in the tournament.”

The minor conservative Reform Party had said Wednesday that its leader Lee Jun-seok would take part in a StarCraft tournament on Sunday at an internet cafe in Yeongdeungpo District, Western Seoul, alongside Mo and conservative People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kim Jae-sub.

StarCraft, a popular video game developed by Blizzard in 1998, is one of the oldest and most-played games in the country. It is even colloquially referred to as “the national entertainment” due to its popularity in Korea.

News of Mo’s participation sparked strong backlash from some of the DP’s more hard-line supporters, who flooded his Facebook page with criticism.

“Yoon Suk Yeol’s coup is not even over, and you’re playing games with those traitors?” one commenter wrote. Another said, “You’ve lost your mind playing games with Lee Jun-seok and Kim Jae-sub, who should be under investigation.”

DP lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi, speaking on MBC radio before Mo’s withdrawal, criticized the event as “typical young-40 sentiment,” referring to out of touch people in their 40s trying to appear youthful.

However, he also acknowledged that “gaming can promote unity,” and said the intention behind the event was meaningful.

Democratic Party lawmaker Mo Gyoung-jong speaks during an appearance on the YouTube channel DailyMinjoo. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

PPP spokesperson Son Su-jo also targeted Lee, posting on Facebook. “With the country reeling from the push to abolish the prosecution service, government paralysis and the Kim Hyun-ji scandal, what can a politician possibly hope to show by going to a PC bang to play games?” she said.

She titled her post, “A Young-40 party leader gaming during Chuseok amid national crisis.”

Despite Mo’s withdrawal, the Reform Party said Thursday afternoon that the event would proceed as planned, expanding public participation “to fulfill the event’s spirit of unity.”

Leader Kim downplayed the controversy in a social media post, saying, “Why the fuss over a single game of StarCraft?” He added, “If the DP had any sense of shame, they wouldn’t talk about bipartisanship.”

Reform Party Supreme Council member Kim Jeong-chul also weighed in, saying, “If we can’t even play a game together, how can we talk about cooperation?”

Former pro gamers including Kang Min, Lee Yoon-yeol and Park Sung-joon are also slated to participate in the event. Lee Jun-seok previously promoted the event by suggesting that the losing team donate to a welfare center in the winner’s district.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE, KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]