The rival parties clashed in the National Assembly Steering Committee over who bears responsibility for a series of harsh public remarks. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea pressed its attack by demanding that Rep. Kim Tae-gyu of the opposition People Power Party step down from the committee over comments that critics say distort history. The People Power Party hit back by citing abusive remarks made by Democratic Party lawmakers during the parliamentary audit period, saying they amounted to "comments that trample on basic decency."
Chun Jun-ho, the Democratic Party's chief deputy floor leader for Assembly operations, used remarks ahead of the committee's deliberations on the 21st to call for Kim to give up his party post and resign from the committee. "We need to settle the matter of Rep. Kim Tae-gyu before this meeting begins," he said. Referring to Kim's statement that "neither Chun Doo-hwan nor Yoon Suk-yeol committed insurrection," Chun said, "This was not a slip of the tongue. He denied it with clear intent." He added, "There has been no sincere apology and no reflection whatsoever. This is not only defamation of and further harm to those honored for the May 18 democratization movement and their families, but a deception of South Korea's history and of the entire public." He argued that "the People Power Party must remove Rep. Kim from his party post and have him resign from the Steering Committee."
Rep. Lee Jung-heon of the same party said, "I also strongly urge Rep. Kim Tae-gyu to resign from the Steering Committee." He added, "We even passed a resolution calling for his expulsion, and nothing has changed at all. I do not think it is right for him to continue sitting in this room with us." He went on to criticize another of Kim's remarks, saying, "How can anyone utter something like, 'Did you get scraped on Owl Rock?' — a reference to the cliff where former President Roh Moo-hyun took his own life. A tongue lighter than a lawmaker's badge is trampling on basic human decency."
In response, Rep. Kim Min-jeon of the People Power Party pushed back by raising remarks made by Democratic Party lawmakers during the audit period. Citing Rep. Park Jie-won's comment to Rep. Joo Jin-woo that "if I were you, I would kill myself," Kim said, "Before we talk about history, that is an inhumane remark no human being could make." She also criticized Rep. Park Kyoun-taek of the Democratic Party, who had described Kim Tae-gyu as a "madman" and a "stone child," saying, "This, too, is inhumane language no human being could use."
"What on earth are you so afraid of that you are trying to silence the opposition?" Kim said. "In the end, isn't this all about protecting Lee Jae-myung and covering up his missteps? Before politics, there is humanity." Her reference to President Lee Jae-myung drew shouts and strong protests from ruling party lawmakers.
Rep. Choi Soo-jin of the People Power Party pointed to a string of controversial comments by Democratic Party politicians over firefighting issues. "Even in the face of the tragedy of a firefighter who died in the line of duty in the Bucheon fire, the leader of the dominant ruling party and the Gyeonggi governor drove a nail into the hearts of the bereaved families and the public with abusive remarks and a sense of entitlement," she said. "Before blaming Rep. Kim Tae-gyu, they should first reflect on themselves and watch what they say."
Lawmakers from both sides cut each other off and protested loudly throughout the session. As the clash escalated, Steering Committee Chairman Han Byung-do, the Democratic Party's floor leader, moved to defuse the standoff, saying, "Since the issue has been raised, I will review what measures are available to me as chairman." The committee was set to discuss which witnesses to summon for the parliamentary audit.