The Democratic Party urges expulsion of Committee Chairperson Choi Min-hee from National Assembly membership

Choi Min-hee, at the previous day’s full Science and ICT Committee meeting,
made a "totalitarian lifestyle" remark about defector Park Chung-kwon

The People Power Party is reportedly moving forward with measures to expel Choi Min-hee, a member of the Democratic Party and chair of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee, from her parliamentary position. This follows her criticism of Park Chung-kwon, a lawmaker of North Korean defector origin, by saying, "Having lived in a totalitarian state, do you not see democratic principles?"

On the morning of the 30th, at a closed-door party meeting held at the National Assembly, Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho announced plans to push for a resolution urging Choi's expulsion. Members of the People Power Party approved this. The party is expected to submit the expulsion resolution as early as the 31st, with leadership or ruling party members from the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee as the lead sponsors.

Earlier, at the full committee meeting of the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee the previous day, Representative Park criticized the confirmation hearing of Lee Jin-sook, nominee for the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, stating, "I think this is a personal attack, defamation, collective assault, and a people's trial by someone abusing parliamentary immunity."

He further pointed out Choi's comment during the hearing that Lee's "brain structure is abnormal," asking, "How long will the Democratic Party keep the Korea Communications Commission in a vegetative state to protect their own Red Guards, the MBC Board of Directors?"

Chairperson Choi Min-hee of the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee is striking the gavel at the 5th plenary meeting of the committee held at the National Assembly on the 25th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

In response, Chair Choi said, "I used the expression 'trying to make MBC into Red Guards,' but this is precisely an insult to public broadcasting. (Park) having lived in a totalitarian state, does he not see democratic principles?" She added, "Is it appropriate to use the term 'people's trial' here? This is the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea."

Following Choi's remarks, criticism arose within political circles accusing her of making a personal attack against a North Korean defector. As the controversy escalated, Choi apologized, saying, "I deeply apologize for mentioning totalitarianism during our earlier conversation," and expressed respect for Park, stating, "I honor Representative Park for crossing the border to come to the liberal and democratic country of the Republic of Korea."