The People Power Party has initiated disciplinary procedures against Oh Tae-won, the mayor of Buk-gu, Busan.
The party announced on the afternoon of the 24th that it held the 14th Central Ethics Committee meeting and resolved accordingly.
Earlier, on the 17th, during a joint press conference with the mayor of Gangseo-gu, Busan, Oh made a remark in response to the Gangseo-gu mayor's statement that parents of people with developmental disabilities, who struggle to live normal lives due to caregiving responsibilities, are not to blame, saying, "If there is a fault, it is that they should not have had children, but they did."
The Ethics Committee judged that Oh's derogatory remarks about people with developmental disabilities violated Article 20 (Grounds for Disciplinary Action) Clause 2 of the party's Ethics Committee regulations and Article 4 (Maintenance of Dignity) Clause 1 of the party's Ethics Rules.
One week after the controversy over his remarks, he attended a press conference held by the Busan branch of the National Parents' Association for the Disabled and the Busan Parents' Association for the Disabled, where he publicly apologized, saying, "I sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt by my remarks," and added, "Taking this incident as an opportunity, I will wholeheartedly commit to the policies proposed by the Busan Parents' Association for the Disabled as well as to the promotion of welfare policies for people with disabilities."
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