Democratic Party Submits Resolution Calling for Expulsion of Rep. Kim Tae-gyu Over 'Chun Doo-hwan Did Not Commit Insurrection' Remarks
The Democratic Party of Korea on Tuesday submitted a resolution calling for the expulsion of People Power Party Rep. Kim Tae-gyu, along with a disciplinary motion, over his remark that 'Chun Doo-hwan did not commit insurrection.' The party adopted the move as official party policy at a general meeting of lawmakers that day, and floor spokesperson Lee Joo-hee told a briefing, 'We have resolved to push forward the expulsion resolution as party policy.' Floor operations chief Chun Jun-ho and other floor leadership filed the resolution and disciplinary motion with the National Assembly's bill office immediately after the meeting.
The controversy stems from Kim's remarks on a broadcast program. Appearing on JTBC's YouTube channel 'Only Genres, Yeouido' on September 30, Kim answered 'not insurrection' when the host asked whether Chun Doo-hwan's actions constituted insurrection. When it was pointed out that a court ruling had already been issued, he replied, 'I don't think it was.' He went on to argue, 'It is difficult for me to readily agree with categorically and unconditionally calling it insurrection,' adding, 'A more thorough historical assessment is needed, and this is something that requires further discussion.'
Floor operations chief Chun said, 'There is a person in the National Assembly who defends Chun Doo-hwan and Yoon Suk-yeol—men who pointed guns at the people—as having committed no insurrection, defending acts that destroy constitutional order.' He also took issue with the fact that such a person serves as the People Power Party's chief floor spokesperson. The Democratic Party urged the People Power Party to discipline Kim on its own and begin expulsion proceedings before the Assembly-level disciplinary process moves forward.
Floor leader Han Byung-do's criticism targeted the party itself. At the general meeting, he noted, 'Chief spokesperson Kim Tae-gyu even went so far as to make the outrageous claim that neither Yoon Suk-yeol nor Chun Doo-hwan committed insurrection.' He then asked, 'This is not a one-time thing. Why do such reckless remarks and denials of history keep coming so easily from within the People Power Party?' and criticized, 'Lawmakers talk this way because of the atmosphere within the People Power Party itself.'
The legal judgment has already been made. The Supreme Court's full bench recognized Chun Doo-hwan's guilt of insurrection on April 17, 1997, upholding a life sentence. Chun was granted a special pardon in December 1997, but the guilty verdict itself was not erased.
