DP Slams 'Revolutionary Park Chung-hee' Forum at National Assembly: "Is PPP a Party of Historical Distortion?"

Regarding a forum titled "Revolutionary Park Chung-hee" held at the National Assembly and co-hosted by People Power Party (PPP) Policy Committee Chair Lim I-ja, the Democratic Party of Korea (DP) criticized today (October 24), asking, "Is the People Power Party a party of historical distortion?"

Spokesperson Lee Yong-woo said in a commentary that day, "As if Rep. Lee Jin-sook holding a forum disparaging the May 18 Democratization Movement was not enough, now even the ruling party's policy committee chair has joined hands with the same group to pave the way for glorifying dictatorship."

Referring to remarks justifying the Yushin authoritarian regime made during the forum, he argued, "Citing economic growth to credit former President Park even with democratization is a carbon copy of the Rhee-Park School's glorification of dictatorship."

He continued, "The PPP leadership is taking the lead in bringing into the National Assembly the distorted view of history that had been instilled into children," emphasizing, "The People Power Party must immediately cease providing the National Assembly stage for historical distortion and glorifying coups and dictatorship."

Earlier, at the forum held at the National Assembly on October 22 by right-wing organizations that previously sparked controversy by disparaging the May 18 Democratization Movement, participants made remarks such as, "Former President Park Chung-hee is the greatest contributor to today's democratization in the Republic of Korea."

Policy Committee Chair Lim, a co-host of the forum, did not attend, citing the parliamentary audit.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
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