Professor Im Miri: "Democratic Party, Apologize Not Only to Me but Also to the People"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Professor Im Miri of Korea University emphasized that the Democratic Party of Korea should not only withdraw the accusation but also issue an apology from the party leadership.

On the 16th, Professor Im stated on her Facebook, "The Democratic Party is trying to end the situation with just a statement from the Public Relations Bureau, even though the withdrawal of the accusation and an apology from the party leadership are naturally required." Earlier, the Democratic Party had planned to file a complaint against Professor Im for violating the Public Official Election Act regarding her Kyunghyang Shinmun column titled "Everyone Except the Democratic Party," but withdrew it amid public backlash.

Professor Im pointed out, "Some supporters indiscriminately dug into my personal information and eventually filed a complaint with the Election Commission. This is not only against me but also an attempt to suppress opposing opinions in the future." She added, "Moreover, during the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun, some excerpts from my past articles were selectively taken out and distorted to claim that I supported the impeachment and urged 'Conservatives, rise up.'"

She emphasized, "I reiterate that the Democratic Party’s disparagement of my claims by focusing on my past is not the attitude of a ruling party responsible for governance," and added, "This is tantamount to refusing to listen to critical voices from the public."

She said, "The reason why several people such as Mr. Hong Se-hwa, Mr. Jin Joong-kwon, lawyer Kwon Kyung-ae, Professor Lee Han-sang, and accountant Kim Kyung-yul are voicing their opinions is because this issue is not limited to me," and demanded, "I ask the Democratic Party to apologize not only to me but also to the public for suppressing freedom of expression."

She continued, "To those who have engaged in excessive personal attacks and distortion, I say this: I have pending manuscripts and need to care for my mother. My personal life is being destroyed. No one has the right to do this, nor the obligation to endure it. Please stop now," she appealed.