Kim Jeong-gi
Kim Jeong-gi
The author is a professor emeritus of communication at Hanyang University
The entire controversy began with a verbal attack directed at an aide. After being nominated as the inaugural minister of planning and budget, the nominee shocked the public as allegations of dishonesty, shamelessness and legal violations — along with abusive language — surfaced through newspapers, broadcasts, YouTube and a National Assembly confirmation hearing. On Jan. 21, the president withdrew the nomination.
Some had held out hope, given the nominee’s profile as a three-term conservative lawmaker who had received five nominations from the party, held a doctorate in economics and symbolized the Lee Jae Myung administration’s emphasis on cross-partisan appointments. But the public once again witnessed hypocrisy and feeble excuses from those in power, and reacted with weary resignation.
Lee Hye-hoon, then the nominee for Minister of Planning and Budget, takes an oath and greets lawmakers during her confirmation hearing at the 431st National Assembly (extraordinary session) in Yeouido, western Seoul, on January 23. [NEWS1]
Among the many reasons that led to the withdrawal, economic issues — including an allegedly improper presale application
to the Banpo-dong One Pentas apartment, dubbed a “lottery-level windfall worth tens of billions of won” — received the most media attention. This reflects a society dominated by economic absolutism and subservience to money. Had there been no such financial misconduct, the nominee might well have been appointed, as in many previous cases.
The Banpo-dong One Pentas apartment, which Lee had been accused of an improper presale application.[JOONGANG PHOTO]
However, a culture must now be established in which individuals who fail to speak with respect or who engage in abusive language also cannot assume positions of power funded by taxpayers. Korea, praised globally for achieving both industrialization that overcame poverty and democratization that expanded equal rights, should aspire to be a society grounded in dialogue and persuasion.
The nominee’s verbal abuse was severe. It showed no regard for others and even denied their very existence. Ethical awareness was absent. “You don’t even have a double-digit IQ,” the nominee said in doubting an aide’s competence. “Do you not understand Korean?” the nominee added, mocking and rejecting the aide. The nominee even went so far as to say, “I wish I could just kill you,” openly threatening physical harm. Recordings capturing shouting in a high-pitched voice, derogatory terms and rapid-fire accusations reveal an atmosphere of intense verbal aggression. As a result, aides reportedly had to rely on anti-anxiety medication to cope with frustration and anger.
Verbal aggression is defined as “a message behavior that attacks a person’s self-concept in order to inflict psychological pain,” as described by Infante and Wigley in their study on the subject. It reflects attempts to dominate others physically or symbolically and to exert complete control over their body, possessions, identity or contested issues. Verbal violence denies a person’s character, personality and ability, instills fear and undermines both individuals and communities. It must not be taken lightly simply because it is not physical violence.
Moreover, verbal aggression is easier to imitate than physical violence and is subject to weaker legal and social sanctions, increasing the likelihood of replication. It can become normalized in everyday settings such as homes, schools, workplaces and social relationships. The “spiral effect,” in which aggressive speech and responses reinforce each other, can expand violent environments and dull a community’s sensitivity to verbal abuse. This is why strict responses to destructive language and stronger education on constructive communication are necessary to foster a culture that respects the value of words.
We live in an era in which, as the ancient Greek sophist Protagoras said, “Man is the measure of all things.” Individual opinions and claims are treated as standards of truth. Absolute truth has receded, and everything has become relative. Amid this uncertainty, society faces a dual challenge — increasing aggressive and violent behavior driven by self or group interests and growing distrust toward others and the community.
Humans are beings that use language to express themselves, build and sustain relationships and strengthen bonds and cooperation within a community. At the same time, humans are also capable of damaging relationships, breaking them apart and fostering division and hostility through language. Ultimately, human communities are shaped by words. If language is violent, the community becomes violent; if language is warm, the community becomes warm.
People long for the happiness that comes from good relationships built through kind words, trust and communication. When constructive dialogue and persuasive speech are recognized as being just as important as political and economic factors, and when they become key criteria in judging a person’s character, ability and integrity, society can move toward a more rational and harmonious community.
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.
댓글
0