Kim Jin-pyo Expresses Regret Over Forced Removal of Kang Sung-hee... "Measures Needed to Prevent Recurrence"

People Power Party Expresses 'Regret' Over Speaker's Statement
"Even Constitutional Institutions Cannot Justify Deviant Behavior"

On the 25th, Speaker of the National Assembly Kim Jin-pyo urged the Presidential Office to prepare measures to prevent recurrence in relation to Progressive Party lawmaker Kang Seong-hee being dragged out by presidential security staff. The People Power Party expressed 'regret' over Speaker Kim's statement and pushed back.

In his remarks during the plenary session that day, Speaker Kim said, "On the 18th, there was an unfortunate incident between a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and presidential security guards," adding, "Each member of the National Assembly is a constitutional institution representing the people. I believe appropriate measures are necessary to prevent excessive responses by presidential security guards from recurring."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He continued, "Although the National Assembly and the government are partners in state administration, the political culture of exclusive hostility toward each other is intensifying," and said, "The National Assembly needs to show courtesy to the government, and the government needs to show respect to the National Assembly."

On the 18th, lawmaker Kang was dragged out by a staff member of the Presidential Office during a handshake with President Yoon Seok-yeol at the launch ceremony of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province. Regarding this, Kang stated, "All I said was a greeting that 'If the national policy direction does not change, the people will suffer'." On the other hand, the Presidential Office rebutted, saying, "It was judged to be a security-threatening act," and explained, "When Kang shook hands, she shouted and did not let go of the president's hand, and even after the president passed by, she shouted loudly and disrupted the event."

Regarding Speaker Kim's expression of regret, the ruling party, People Power Party, pushed back. Park Jeong-ha, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, said, "The Speaker of the National Assembly represents the National Assembly, not a specific party," and added, "We regret Speaker Kim's statement today." Spokesperson Park criticized lawmaker Kang, saying, "Just because each member of the National Assembly is a constitutional institution representing the people does not justify deviant behavior," and "The Republic of Korea is a democratic country, and lawmaker Kang disregarded the fundamentals of democracy. This would not have happened if she had maintained the dignity and courtesy befitting a constitutional institution as a member of the National Assembly."