‘2026 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival’

“The saying ‘Old habits die hard’ is not wrong in the slightest”

Criticism has emerged within politics of politicians from the conservative People Power Party who took issue with the performance by the British band Massive Attack, the headliner at the global music festival ‘2026 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival,’ calling it ‘political’.

Hong Seong-Gyu, spokesperson of the Progressive Party, a reformist (progressive) party with a parliamentary presence, criticized the People Power Party in an official briefing held at the National Assembly press briefing room on the 6th.

Hong said, “At the ‘2026 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival,’ a leading rock festival in Korea, regarding the performance presented by the British band Massive Attack, People Power Party politicians in Incheon have even announced plans for an administrative audit, engaging in open intimidation,” and explained, “Massive Attack, active for nearly 40 years and consistently conveying social messages on human rights, anti-war peace, and the climate crisis, covered ‘Regret of the Times,’ released in 1995 by Seo Taiji and Boys, and presented footage of democratization struggles in South Korea such as the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, along with videos opposing the invasion of Palestine by Israel.”

He went on, “Lee Jae-Ho, Yeonsu District Mayor in Incheon from the People Power Party, expressed regret, and Lee Beom-Seok, a member of the Incheon City Council, said he would verify the facts during the administrative audit in November,” adding, “Old habits die hard“.

He also said, “The insurrection party People Power Party has that nasty ‘gagging, blacklist’ DNA, and it is now directed even at a rock band in the United Kingdom on the other side of the globe,” criticizing, “It is an appalling and shameful international disgrace.”

Hong added, “Councilor Lee Beom-Seok even advanced a conspiracy theory, calling it ‘a highly orchestrated political message that would be difficult to make unless one is Korean, and too contrived to be handled voluntarily by a foreign band,’” and asked, “It is a wretched insult to Massive Attack and to the ‘rock spirit.’ They mentioned not only the democratization movement in South Korea but also the invasion of Palestine by Israel; what mastermind does he intend to pin behind that?“

The following is the full text of the official briefing

At the ‘2026 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival,’ a leading rock festival in Korea, regarding the performance presented by the British band Massive Attack, People Power Party politicians in Incheon have even signaled an administrative audit, engaging in open intimidation.

Massive Attack, active for nearly 40 years and consistently conveying social messages on human rights, anti-war peace, and the climate crisis, covered ‘Regret of the Times,’ released in 1995 by Seo Taiji and Boys, and presented footage of democratization struggles in South Korea such as the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, along with videos opposing the invasion of Palestine by Israel.

Lee Jae-Ho, Yeonsu District Mayor in Incheon from the People Power Party, expressed regret, and Lee Beom-Seok, a member of the Incheon City Council, said he would verify the facts during the administrative audit in November.

“Old habits die hard.”

The insurrection party People Power Party has that nasty ‘gagging, blacklist’ DNA, and it is now directed even at a rock band in the United Kingdom on the other side of the globe.

It is an appalling and shameful international disgrace.

Councilor Lee Beom-Seok even advanced a conspiracy theory, calling it ‘a highly orchestrated political message that would be difficult to make unless one is Korean, and too contrived to be handled voluntarily by a foreign band.’

It is a wretched insult to Massive Attack and to the ‘rock spirit.’ They mentioned not only the democratization movement in South Korea but also the invasion of Palestine by Israel; what mastermind does he intend to pin behind that?

‘Regret of the Times’ ultimately abolished ‘pre-censorship’.

‘Global pre-censorship intimidation’ will ultimately dismantle the People Power Party.

“I hope to overturn everything so that a new world will come,” a line from Regret of the Times.

Lastly, regarding the police search and seizure of Starbucks headquarters, the People Power Party said yesterday in the name of Senior Spokesperson Park Chung-Kwon that “the act of public authorities intervening even in corporate marketing and carrying out a search and seizure is a regression from the rule of law to a government-controlled society,” and that “it is little different from the image of China Red Guards.”

What do you think about the threat of an administrative audit against the Pentaport rock band?

August 6, 2026

Hong Seong-Gyu, Spokesperson of the Progressive Party