President Moon Jae-in’s son Moon Joon-yong said he can accept criticism against the “president’s son,” but cannot accept the denunciation of what he does for a living.

“Since the reason politicians criticize me through mass media is to attack the president of the rival camp, I point out that their intention is lousy,” Moon, 38, wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

Opposition politicians have questioned the fairness of the city of Seoul’s decision to grant Moon, a media artist, 14 million won ($12,900) as part of its COVID-19 artist support program, and raised conspiracy theories over his solo exhibit held earlier this month despite the spread of COVID-19.

Moon wrote that while he thinks that anyone can criticize the president’s son, people should stop denouncing what he does for a living, including his solo exhibition.

About the city government’s grant, Moon asked, “How am I supposed to build my career if they say strings were pulled for every single thing I do?”

Concerning criticism that his Facebook posts were “impolite messages to the Korean people,” Moon wrote that he had made the posts because he thought some people with malicious intent were misleading on matters that most Koreans won’t take issue with.

“Have I misunderstood? I will keep in mind that this is what happens. I will accept it as criticism against the president’s son. But for such criticism to achieve validity, I think they should stop reckless attacks on what I do for a living,” he wrote.

“I am also a citizen of this country, and I think I have the right to be protected for the work I do for a living.”

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)