On May 28, the Democratic Party of Korea filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against Lee Junseok, the Reform Party candidate, accusing him of violating the Public Official Election Act after he used explicit and violent language referencing women's bodies during the final televised presidential debate.
The party's Fair Election Legal Support Team stated, "This is a hate speech targeting candidate Lee Jaemyung, his family, and all voters, and constitutes a very serious violation of the Public Official Election Act."
The legal team emphasized, "Candidate Lee Junseok maliciously disseminated false information with the intent to defeat candidate Lee Jaemyung. It is clear that this was not for public interest, but rather to publicly defame or slander Lee Jaemyung or his family with false statements on broadcast."
In addition, Lee Junseok was accused of violating the Public Official Election Act by publicly spreading false information for electoral gain, as he allegedly claimed in media interviews and social media posts that "he was found not guilty because it was revealed that he did not receive sexual favors."
On the same day, 21 members of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea, the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, the Progressive Party, the Basic Income Party, and the Social Democratic Party submitted a disciplinary motion against Lee Junseok to the National Assembly Ethics Committee. In the motion, they stated, "Politics cannot stand on violence and hatred, and members of the National Assembly have a duty to promote social integration," adding, "If the remarks of Representative Lee Junseok are tolerated, a society in Korea that respects gender equality and human rights cannot be established."
During the final televised presidential debate held the previous day, Lee Junseok described violent expressions related to women's bodies and asked Kwon Youngguk, the Democratic Labor Party candidate, "By the standards of the Democratic Labor Party, does this constitute misogyny?"
After the controversy arose, Lee Junseok apologized for some of the expressions he used during the televised debate. Speaking to reporters after a campaign event at Yeouido Park, he said, "Those who have seen the original remarks know that I expressed them in a moderated way, and I am not sure how I could have moderated them further. Of course, I was aware that some citizens might feel uncomfortable, and I sincerely apologize for that."
However, while he apologized for the language, he maintained that the issue needed to be raised. Lee Junseok argued, "From my perspective, if such words and actions are true, they are matters that require thorough scrutiny." He also stated in a social media post that his question the previous day was "to ask the two candidates, who have consistently expressed strong views on gender discrimination and hatred, for their stance on a statement made online that was almost unbelievable," adding, "I am convinced that candidates who cannot make a firm judgment on such distorted sexual awareness are not qualified."
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