"Repeated Wrongful Words and Actions... I Can No Longer Remain Silent"
Kim Yeji, a member of the People Power Party, announced that she has filed a complaint against Park Minyoung, the party's media spokesperson, who caused controversy by making remarks suggesting that the allocation of proportional representation seats for people with disabilities is excessive, apparently targeting her.
On November 17, through her Facebook page, Assemblywoman Kim stated, "Legislation is not for the benefit of specific individuals, but is created to address the blind spots in society by reflecting the urgent demands of those directly affected." She continued, "However, when false information and malicious distortions spread, the intentions of those most in need of protection are drowned out by political noise, and necessary systems repeatedly fail to be established in a timely manner. Witnessing the recurrence of such wrongful words and actions, I could no longer remain silent."
She went on to say, "Today, I submitted a complaint to the police. This is not an act of retaliation or an emotional response, but the minimum public measure to ensure that our politics sets and upholds better standards. Allowing discrimination, hatred, and distortion of legislative intent based on falsehoods to go unchecked by public officials sends the wrong message to society that such behavior is acceptable."
Assemblywoman Kim emphasized, "A proportional representation seat is not simply a single seat in the legislature, but a channel that connects the voices of marginalized groups, minorities, and those with structural vulnerabilities-voices that are not fully captured by constituency politics-to the National Assembly." She added, "I have always kept in mind that the responsibility entrusted to me is not a personal privilege but a position of public representation. Despite this, I have continuously faced baseless criticism, ridicule, and inappropriate remarks."
She said, "I have made many efforts to quietly overlook these as merely emotional expressions directed at me personally. However, the recent incident went beyond a simple personal attack and involved the public consumption of discriminatory and hateful language in our society's public sphere, which must never be tolerated."
She further stated, "I believe this is not an issue concerning a specific individual, but rather an act that undermines the basic sense of human rights and the principles of democracy that politics must uphold."
On November 12, Park Minyoung sparked controversy when it became known that, during an appearance on a YouTube channel, he referred to Assemblywoman Kim, who is both a proportional representative and visually impaired, asking, "Why are you seeking nomination from the People Power Party?" On the broadcast, he also made remarks such as, "Except for her visual impairment, she is part of the establishment," and "She takes special consideration for granted."
As the controversy grew, Park Minyoung posted an apology on Facebook on November 17, stating, "I apologize for any expressions that may have sounded extreme." However, Park Minyoung also clarified, "I was pointing out that three people with disabilities were allocated within the top 20 proportional representation spots in the People Power Party," and added, "My intention was to stress that proportional representation should include a variety of professional groups and experts. Since Assemblywoman Kim Yeji has been elected twice solely through proportional representation, I commented that she was 'overrepresented.'"
The People Power Party issued a warning to Park Minyoung, urging him to be cautious with his words and actions. In a press release that day, the party stated, "Party leader Jang gave a stern warning to media spokesperson Park Minyoung regarding the recent coverage," and "asked all party officials, including the spokespersons, to be especially mindful of their words and actions."
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