Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Hun-gi [provided by lawmaker's office]
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Hun-gi [provided by lawmaker's office]

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Hun-gi, who represents Incheon's Namdong-eul district, on Wednesday urged People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jin-suk to issue a public apology and resign from both the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee and her Assembly seat over remarks seen as distorting and denigrating the May 18 pro-democracy movement. Lee made the call during a procedural statement at a full committee session.

"The science and technology committee handles the public responsibilities of broadcasting and media, and deals with the spread of false and distorted information, mockery and hate online and in the media," Lee said. "Yet a member of this very committee has created a forum for the spread of historical distortion, mockery and hate."

He said historical distortion and the repeated mockery and hatred directed at victims must not be tolerated in the name of free expression. He urged the Assembly to move quickly on legislation to ban content associated with the far-right online community known as "Ilbe." "The National Assembly must establish institutional safeguards to stop the spread of historical distortion, mockery and hate," he said.

Lee also said that even lawmakers within the People Power Party had found Lee Jin-suk's explanation difficult to accept. "The People Power Party must also take responsible action," he added.

The People Power Party's predecessor, the Liberty Korea Party, previously voted to expel a lawmaker over May 18 remarks. On Feb. 8, 2019, then-Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Lee Jong-myeong described the May 18 uprising as a "riot" at a National Assembly hearing on the movement. The party's central ethics committee voted to expel him on Feb. 14 of that year — the harshest disciplinary measure available within the party.

"Even the Liberty Korea Party, the predecessor of the People Power Party, has a precedent of voting for expulsion over May 18 remarks," Lee said, urging the People Power Party not to turn a blind eye to the current situation and to take responsible action.


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