Choi Min-hee "Respect for Coming to Korea... Sincerely Apologize"
People Power Party "Not Something to Say to Someone Who Risked Their Life to Defect"
On the 29th, Choi Min-hee, Chairperson of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee, apologized after referring to Park Chung-kwon, a member of the People Power Party and a defector from North Korea, as being from a totalitarian state. The remark by Chairperson Choi, who belongs to the opposition party, came during a heated exchange between the two during the three-day confirmation hearing for Lee Jin-sook, the nominee for Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission.
At the full committee meeting that day, Rep. Park criticized the hearing of the nominee, saying, "I think this is a personal attack, defamation, collective assault, and a people's trial by a person abusing parliamentary immunity." He added, "How long will the Democratic Party keep the Korea Communications Commission in a vegetative state to protect the MBC Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation director, who is their Red Guard?" criticizing Chairperson Choi for saying to the nominee during the hearing that "your brain structure is abnormal."
In response, Chairperson Choi rebutted, "I used the expression 'trying to make MBC into Red Guards,' but this is precisely an insult to public broadcasting." She continued, "Since (Rep. Park) has lived in a totalitarian state, does he not see democratic principles?" and said, "Is it appropriate to use the term 'people's trial' here? This is the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea."
Rep. Park posted on his social media, "Did you say that because I lived in a totalitarian state, I cannot see democratic principles?" He said, "Let me make it clear. Even in a totalitarian state, the National Assembly and the operation of the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee would shake their heads at the current operation by the Democratic Party and Chairperson Choi." He also said that Chairperson Choi "has very well internalized totalitarianism."
As Chairperson Choi's remark likening Rep. Park's defector background to "living in a totalitarian state" sparked controversy, she directly apologized to Rep. Park before the meeting ended that day. Chairperson Choi said, "I deeply apologize for mentioning totalitarianism during the conversation," and added, "I pay respect to Rep. Park for crossing the border to come to the liberal and democratic country of the Republic of Korea. I sincerely apologize." In response, Rep. Park said, "This is not only an insult to me personally but also to the 34,000 North Korean defectors who risked their lives to escape dictatorship and find freedom," and added, "Although I am not fully appeased, I will accept the apology since it was made."
The People Power Party strongly criticized Chairperson Choi's remarks as discriminatory and offensive toward North Korean defectors. Party leader Han Dong-hoon wrote on social media, "This is not something you can say to fellow citizens who risked their lives to defect," and urged, "Please help us stop discrimination and offensive remarks from becoming normalized together with the People Power Party." During a filibuster, Rep. Kim Yong-tae said, "It is problematic to say 'hey' to a fellow lawmaker, but I also think it is a big problem to mock someone who risked their life to defect," and added, "I hope such mocking remarks will be refrained from."
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