Members of Congress applauded South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol as he lambasted “disinformation” and “propaganda” as threats to democracy during an address to a joint session on Wednesday.
Yoon, who is on a state visit to the U.S., argued that disinformation harms the rule of law, and exhorted members of Congress to fight against it — invoking language that many Democrats have used to criticize conservatives and Republicans espousing right-wing perspectives. “False propaganda and disinformation corrupt intellectualism. They threaten democracy and the rule of law,” he said.
“We must work together to fight the forces of falsehood and deception that seek to destroy democracy and the rule of law,” Yoon remarked. That line was met with applause by Democrats, who have directed such rhetoric at prominent conservatives such as former President Donald Trump and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, with some cheering from the well in support.
Address to a Joint Meeting of the U.S. Congress by President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea by Daily Caller News Foundation on Scribd
He added that “totalitarian forces may conceal and disguise themselves as defenders of democracy or human rights. But in reality, they deny freedom and democracy. We must not be fooled by such deception and disguise.”
Yoon’s speech was among the final engagements as part of his three-day visit, following a state dinner held at The White House on Wednesday evening. A moment from that dinner, when Yoon sang the first verse of “American Pie,” a song by Don McLean, was circulated widely on Twitter.
Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol sings “American Pie” by Don McLean during entertainment portion of State Dinner with President Biden. pic.twitter.com/M91Tj4WrHa
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) April 27, 2023
Apart from disinformation, Yoon also spoke of North Korean human rights abuses, citing a report from his government that the regime had “men and women shot and killed for violating COVID-19 prevention measures, being publicly executed for watching and sharing South Korean shows, and…shot in public for possessing the Bible.”
He also invoked Korean pop culture in his speech, referring to the musical artists BTS and BlackPink, as well as the Netflix television show “Squid Game” as examples of South Korea’s influence in the United States.
The Daily Caller News Foundation has contacted the South Korean Presidential Office and several Republican members of Congress for a comment.
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