Members of the Democratic Party's Legislative Judiciary Committee on October 7 urged Kim Tae-kyu, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, to apologize to the family of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun for his remarks about the 'Owl Rock' during a recent audit session.
In a statement, they criticized Kim's comments made during the audit of the Supreme Court, saying, "Such outrageous remarks as 'Did you scratch yourself on Owl Rock?' regarding the death of a former president are unacceptable. This is not something that can be said to a fellow lawmaker, let alone in a healthy public discourse."
The committee members pointed out that Kim has repeatedly disrupted the proceedings while colleagues were questioning witnesses. They noted that he had previously mocked a candidate for public office by asking, 'Are you going through menopause?' and referenced the 'North Korean military intervention theory' related to the May 18 incident, claiming it was not a rebellion, despite the Supreme Court's ruling on the matter. This occurred just four days after the National Assembly's Operations Committee passed a resolution calling for his expulsion.
They commended Seo Young-kyu, the chair of the Legislative Judiciary Committee, for maintaining patience and conducting the meeting to its conclusion. They asserted, "The person who tarnished the dignity of the National Assembly is Kim Tae-kyu, who disrupted a session meant to provide clarity and explanations to the public."
They concluded by stating that allowing such remarks to go unchecked is unacceptable for both the chair and fellow committee members, urging the People Power Party to strip Kim of his party position and cooperate in forming an ethics committee.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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