Provided by IOK Company.

Broadcaster Yuk Jun-seo, a former UDT member, was bombarded with ‘Eradicate Communism’ questions.

On the 4th, Yuk Jun-seo posted on Instagram Threads, “Hello. This is Yuk Jun-seo. I will take questions.” However, the comments included not only everyday questions but also ones asking about his political leanings. Some users demanded answers from him, leaving comments such as “Who is the main enemy of the Republic of Korea?”, “How should we interpret it if you keep not responding to posts asking about Eradicate Communism?”, and “Can someone with a military background not support Eradicate Communism?”

One user in particular posted the question “This side or that side” and placed photos of former President Park Chung-hee and President Lee Jae Myung side by side to prompt a choice.

Yuk left no particular responses to such political or ideological questions. By contrast, he continued replying to everyday, exercise-related questions such as “Would sparring be possible?” and “Have you only been boxing for a year?”

‘Eradicate Communism’ originally meant the rejection of communism, but in recent times it has morphed within the far-right camp into language used to affirm in-group identity and to vet other people’s political positions. Given that Yuk has a record of military service, some far-right supporters appear to have demanded that he state his personal political stance. In this process, even celebrities’ silence or non-responses are increasingly being interpreted as political messages.

Meanwhile, born in 1996, Yuk served in the UDT Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion and was discharged in 2019 as a reserve sergeant. Yuk became known through ‘Steel Troops’ and ‘Single’s Inferno’.