People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jin-sook filed a criminal complaint on the 24th against Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok for insult, over his description of her as a "female Hitler" amid a controversy involving remarks that disparaged the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.
Lee submitted the complaint at the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul. On the 15th, at a joint Democratic Party campaign speech event in South Jeolla and Gwangju, Kim had said of Lee: "If we cannot expel her, we will revise the National Assembly Act to bar her for one year through a suspension of qualifications and push her out of the Assembly. We will make sure that neither a female Chun Doo-hwan nor a female Hitler can gain a foothold in the Republic of Korea." Lee decided to pursue legal action on the grounds that the phrase "female Hitler" amounts to a malicious personal attack.
After filing the complaint, Lee said, "Leader Kim made insulting remarks about me during his party leadership campaign," and demanded, "How am I a female Hitler?" She went on to say, "This is what the Republic of Korea has become. It has become a Republic of Korea of President Lee Jae-myung, by President Lee, for President Lee," adding, "And now, going one step further, is he trying to build a Republic of Korea of Leader Kim, by Leader Kim, for Leader Kim?"
She then urged, "Citizens, please fight alongside me," adding, "In particular, I ask young people to tell future generations about what is happening in the Republic of Korea." Lee said, "If you believe this is unjust and wrong, join me on the path of struggle."
Asked whether Kim's remarks constituted political criticism of the controversy over the disparagement of the May 18 movement, Lee said, "The premise of the question is wrong. I also think it is wrong to say that such remarks came up in the discussion." She noted, "I was a co-host of the forum, so this amounts to arguing that a host must take responsibility for every statement made by presenters at the venue. I have heard of an economic community, but this is the first time in my life I have heard the claim that it is an ideological community, that it should be defined as a crime, and that joint responsibility should be borne." She added, "That argument is the same as saying a forum should be held only after pre-screening presenters' remarks, which I regard as a very dangerous idea."
She further argued, "It is the responsibility of the government, the state, intellectuals and the media to properly explain why the spirit of the May 18 movement should be enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution. I held the forum in that spirit, and telling me to take responsibility for the remarks made there is the same as demanding that I agree to turn a free Republic of Korea into a people's democracy, into totalitarianism."
Kim's use of the phrase "female Chun Doo-hwan" was left out of the complaint. Lee explained that this was "to simplify the criminal proceedings."
Earlier, on the 13th, Lee held a forum at the National Assembly on the theme of "reexamining the May 18 Democratization Movement." The forum drew criticism after expressions such as "May 18 was ten days of turmoil" were made there.
The Democratic Party pushed back strongly against Lee's complaint. Party spokesperson Lee Yong-woo said, "What Lawmaker Lee needs to write now is not a complaint but a resignation letter," and rebuked her, saying, "If she lends the space of the National Assembly to claims that damage the historical truth of May 18 and then refuses to apologize or take responsibility, she has forsaken her qualifications as a lawmaker of her own accord."
