“The LKP must apologize to the public and expel the three lawmakers who made controversial remarks over the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement”

□ Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea Lee Hae-chan (read by the DPK’s Secretary General Yun Ho-jung)

The chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea Lee Hae-chan expressed his dismay and regret over the controversial remarks made by three lawmakers of the Liberty Korea Party at the public hearing on fact-finding for May 18, which was organized by the main opposition party on February 8. Chairman Lee said that the event was not a public hearing on fact-finding for the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement, but rather an event designed to insult the significance of the movement. In addition to the defamatory statements made by the presenter Jee Man-won, it can hardly be believed that remarks from some LKP lawmakers came from those who are entrusted with representing the public.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea will not overlook the disparagement of historical fact nor the lofty spirit of sacrifice of the May 18 Democratization Movement. Thirty years ago, the National Assembly’s Special Committee for Fact-finding for the May Gwangju Movement uncovered historical truths through a series of hearings, and according to the findings of those hearings, former presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo were arrested and penalized for rebellion and military mutiny. In addition, the National Assembly enacted a special act on the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, which offered legal grounds to rename the Gwangju Uprising as the Gwangju Democratization Movement. It is a well-known fact that since 1997, the May 18 Democratization Movement has been commemorated as a legal anniversary and the country has paid tribute to the spirit of the movement. Despite these facts, the LKP invited Jee Man-won to an official event of the National Assembly and allowed him to give a presentation at the public hearing allowing him to disseminate remarks that had been found false by the judiciary. A far-right commentator Jee, who has long belittled the democratization movement, was found by the Supreme Court to be guilty of disparaging the movement and spreading false information. The LKP and its lawmakers should take responsibility for supporting Jee’s claims.

As chairman of the DPK, Lee Hae-chan officially called upon the LKP, as a political party that complies with the Constitution of the Republic of Korea and acts as the vanguard of democracy, to take every action available against the embattled three lawmakers who made the controversial remarks at the Gwangju public hearing: expulsion of the three lawmakers and immediate apology to the public. The three lawmakers include Kim Jin-tae, Lee Jong-myeong, and Kim Soon-rye. Chairman Lee warned, “If the opposition party LKP does not do as such, it will be harshly judged by the public and by history.”

 "한국당, 5·18 망동 사과하고 해당 의원 출당시켜야“

   □ 이해찬 당대표 (윤호중 사무총장 대독 )   지난 8 일 자유한국당 의원들이 주최한 ‘5.18 진상규명 공청회 ’에서 벌어진 5.18 민주화운동에 대한 망발에 대해 깊은 분노와 유감을 표한다 . ‘5.18 진상규명 공청회 ’가 아니라 ‘5.18 모독회 ’였다 . 발표자의 천인공노할 망언뿐 아니라 국민의 대표인 국회의원의 발언이라고 믿기 어려운 망언들이 있었다 .  더불어민주당은 5.18 의 역사적 사실과 그 숭고한 희생에 대해 모독하는 것을 묵과할 수 없다 . 5.18 광주민주화운동은 이미 30 년 전에 국회 광주진상조사특별위원회가 청문회 활동을 통해 역사적 사실이 밝혀졌고 , 그 결과에 따라 전두환 , 노태우 두 전직 대통령까지 내란 및 군사 반란죄로 구속되어 처벌받은 바 있다 . 또한 여야가 ‘5.18 민주화운동등에대한특별법 ’을 통과시켜서 ‘광주항쟁 ’을 ‘민주화운동 ’으로 평가하기도 했다 . 1997 년부터는 5.18 민주화운동을 법정 기념일로 정해서 그 정신을 기려왔다는 것도 잘 알고 계실 것이다 . 그럼에도 불구하고 그동안 5.18 민주화운동을 모독하여온 지만원씨를 국회의 공식 행사장에 불러서 이미 사법부의 재판을 통해 허위사실로 판결난 발언들을 유포하도록 공청회 발표자로 세우고 자유한국당 국회의원들이 이에 동조한 것에 대해서 자유한국당은 무거운 책임을 져야 할 것이다 .  

당 대표로서 공식적으로 자유한국당에 요구한다 . 자유한국당이 대한민국 헌법을 준수하고 민주주의를 지켜온 정당이라면 김진태 , 이종명 , 김순례 세 의원의 망동에 대해 당장 국민 앞에 사과하고 출당조치 등 취할 수 있는 모든 조치를 취하기 바란다 . 만약 그렇지 않다면 , 우리 국민과 역사로부터 자유한국당이 준엄한 심판을 받게 될 것임을 경고한다 .

더불어민주당 국제국