How did green onions become the star of South Korea’s legislative elections?

The vegetable is at the center of every conversation in South Korea. While foreign policy, the economy or the nuclear-tipped missiles Kim Jong Un aims at Seoul could become major issues in South Korea’s legislative elections on Wednesday, it is the green onions that are getting all the attention.

This essential ingredient in Korean cuisine has become the talk of the town ahead of the April 10 election, thanks to a gaffe by conservative President Yoon Seok-yeol, who has so fascinated mocking Internet users and elevated the humble vegetable to the ranks of a rallying symbol for the opposition. that they are prohibited from being brought to polling stations.

It all started on March 18 when Yoon Seok-yeol, whose party is trying to regain control of parliament, went to a fruit and vegetable store in Seoul to look at food prices and food inflation, a major concern. voters.

The store has reduced prices for the president’s visit

“I went to many markets and got 875 won (60 euro cents) because it is a reasonable price,” the South Korean president said as he inspected a bunch of green onions. The only problem is that a bunch of green onions usually sell for three to four times more in South Korea, but local media discovered that the store had slashed prices specifically for the president’s visit.

An awkward hiccup that caused an avalanche of ridicule. The left was quick to claim that the 63-year-old head of state was living out of touch with reality, while opposition candidates were quick to wave green onions at their campaign rallies.

South Koreans had the opportunity to vote early on Friday and Saturday, which 13.8 million of the 44.2 million voters chose to do. Some began posting photos of themselves holding green onions at polling stations on social media, accompanied by hashtags such as #875wonsgreenonions.

Authorities fear “election interference”

Then the National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced on Saturday a ban on the use of green onions near polling stations for fear of “election interference.” The decision sparked widespread hilarity and a new avalanche of mocking memes on social media in Korean over the weekend.

The decision also sparked a rush for anything even remotely resembling green onions, in hopes of challenging the ban. “At first, green onions didn’t really bother me. But after learning about the ban, I bought a green onion-shaped headband and am determined to wear it on my head on election day,” Hyun Jeong, a 36-year-old senior citizen, told AFP.

Will voters who carry these items on Election Day be breaking the law? “The decision rests with the election commission staff on the ground,” a commission spokesman told AFP.