PPP seeks to hold Rep. Jeon accountable for her First Lady remark

Rep. Jeon Hyeon-hee of the Democratic Party of Korea sparked controversy on Wednesday, making a statement during a National Assembly meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, saying, "Kim Keon Hee is a murderer" in relation to the death of a former acting head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. In response, the ruling People Power Party, which had submitted a resolution the previous day signed by all 108 of its members calling for Jeon's expulsion from the National Assembly, demanded on Thursday that former party leader Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party hold Jeon accountable for her "extreme remarks" and apologize to the president and his wife. The Presidential Office, which had previously criticized Jeon's remarks as a "heinous and senseless outburst," stated that it would wait for an official response from the Democratic Party before taking further action.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party countered by announcing to seek the expulsion of Rep. Song Seok-joon of the People Power Party, who had yelled at Jeon during the same committee meeting, asking if she bore no responsibility for the death of the former bureau head. The Democratic Party aims to hold Song accountable for his remarks, which included telling Jeon to "reflect on her own actions" and questioning her culpability in the official's death. However, there is internal hesitation within the Democratic Party, with some members suggesting that they should avoid escalating the situation, seeing it as a diversion by the ruling party to overshadow the ongoing issues regarding the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.

After attending the Liberation Day ceremony, People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon told reporters that Jeon's remarks were "not reasonable" and that most people would not sympathize with such statements, even from a politician. Han emphasized that the party would take necessary measures in response. Park Joon-tae, the party's floor spokesperson, also told reporters at the National Assembly that Jeon's remarks could not be justified or explained, and that she should apologize to the president and his wife, as well as to the public who were exposed to such hateful language.


조권형 기자 buzz@donga.com