"Step Down": Calls Grow for Expulsion of PPP Rep. Lee Jin-sook Amid Criticism Within Party

[Anchor]

The Democratic Party has submitted a resolution urging the expulsion of People Power Party Representative Lee Jin-sook. The move comes in response to anti-historical remarks made during a seminar on the May 18 Democratic Uprising hosted by Representative Lee yesterday (the 13th). Criticism has also emerged from within the People Power Party, with members pointing out that the event sparked unnecessary controversy.

Reporter Kim Bo-mi has the story.

[Reporter]

At a seminar co-hosted by People Power Party Representative Lee Jin-sook and others at the National Assembly Library yesterday, a presenter referred to the May 18 Democratic Uprising as a "commotion," while presentations and remarks denying responsibility on the part of Chun Doo-hwan also followed one after another.

A barrage of criticism erupted, pointing out that claims distorting and disparaging May 18 were rampant, and a physical altercation even broke out among the audience during the seminar.

The Democratic Party defined the seminar as a "historical coup" and submitted a resolution to the National Assembly today urging the expulsion of Representative Lee, who was a co-host.

The party pressured the People Power Party not to dismiss the incident as a personal deviation, but to take responsible action.

[Han Byung-do / Democratic Party Floor Leader: Mocking under the guise of academic review and re-examination a civic uprising that defended democracy with blood and tears against state violence undermines historical truth...]

The People Power Party stated that its stance to uphold the spirit of democratization throughout modern history remains firm, while adding that measures such as referring the matter to the disciplinary committee require internal discussion.

Regarding criticisms that the party may have known about the event in advance and ignored it, the party explained that there was no way to block a seminar hosted by an individual lawmaker.

[Choi Eun-seok / People Power Party Chief Deputy Spokesperson: For the seminar to have been pushed through was an inappropriate act, and we hope it will not happen again...]

The lawmaker in question, Representative Lee Jin-sook, requested a press conference today and strongly defended herself, calling it "suppression of freedom of expression."

[Lee Jin-sook / People Power Party Representative: When a gathering welcoming Kim Jong-un to Seoul was held in Gwanghwamun in the middle of Seoul, did it receive as much criticism as yesterday's May 18 academic seminar? (Representative, Chun Doo-hwan's conviction for murder with intent to commit treason has been finalized; what kind of debate do you think is still necessary?) ......]

Among People Power Party lawmakers, discontented reactions toward Representative Lee were widespread, such as: "Denying the spirit of May 18 is an act that undermines the party's values and should be strongly rebuked," "This is an issue that has already been settled historically and legally, yet it caused needless discord," and "At a time when the ruling camp continues to make missteps regarding real estate and supplementary investigation powers, this merely dispersed our capability to fight against the ruling party."

(Video Reporting: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing: Lee Seung-hee | Graphics: Han Heung-soo)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.