People Power Party lawmaker Seo Beom-su has apologized to Kim Jin-ju (a pseudonym), the victim in the Busan spinning-kick case, for an inappropriate remark he made before a forum at the National Assembly, and Kim has accepted the apology.
Kim contacted Seo directly Wednesday morning, telling him she understood the comment had been made before the forum and that she was "perfectly fine" with accepting his apology, according to political sources.
The controversy began Tuesday, when Seo told fellow People Power Party lawmaker Jin Jong-oh at a forum on abolishing the supplementary investigation authority, "Let's do a spinning kick." Jin replied, "I'm better with my hands than my feet," drawing immediate backlash.
Seo posted an apology on Facebook, writing, "I misspoke. I will offer no excuses. It was entirely my fault." Jin also issued a statement saying he "sincerely apologized to the victim, the attendees and the public for the inappropriate remarks."
Kim accepted the apology after both lawmakers expressed remorse on multiple occasions. She was also quoted as saying the controversy threatened to overshadow what mattered most. "The debate over abolishing the supplementary investigation authority is important, and I hate to see it buried," she said, urging people to help ensure the public is informed of the forum's substance.
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