The Jinbo Party, a minor progressive opposition, issued a demand on Friday for President Yoon Suk Yeol to issue an apology and remove the head of the Presidential Security Service.
This call comes in the aftermath of an incident where Jinbo Party lawmaker Rep. Kang Sung-hee was forcefully removed from an event venue in Jeonju, Jeonbuk State, by presidential security agents. The party asserts that the apology and dismissal of Kim Yong-hyun, the head of the presidential security service, are necessary actions in response to the lawmaker’s removal.
Tensions flared on Thursday during a ceremony celebrating the launch of Jeonbuk State when Rep. Kang Sung-hee expressed disagreement with President Yoon Suk Yeol’s policies. The situation escalated as the lawmaker was physically carried out of the event by the presidential security agents, sparking outrage from the Jinbo Party, which promptly called for an official apology from the President and the removal of the security service head.
The incident at the event in Jeonju involving the removal of Rep. Kang Sung-hee has led to conflicting accounts between the lawmaker and the office of President Yoon Suk Yeol. According to the presidential office, Kang was forcibly removed due to shouting and pulling on the President’s hand.
On the other hand, Kang contends that he was urging President Yoon to “change the principle of state affairs.” A presidential official provided a different version, stating that despite warnings from security agents to let go, Kang held onto the President’s hand.
Representing the Eul constituency in Jeonju, the capital of Jeonbuk State, Kang, 51, is the sole member of the National Assembly from the Jinbo Party. Known for his background as a former labor activist, he secured a parliamentary seat in the April 2023 by-election.
In a press release, the party accused the Presidential Security Service of carrying out violence during what they labeled as President Yoon’s “reign of terror.” The Jinbo Party insisted that Yoon publicly apologize and remove the head of the Presidential Security Service.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea echoed these sentiments, with Rep. Park Ju-min proposing a separate press conference on Friday that the staff from the presidential office present at the ceremony should appear before a National Assembly committee meeting. The objective is to explain the incident at the venue and issue a proper apology for handling the situation.
While expressing regret over the incident, a source from the presidential office stated that Kang’s behavior had “crossed the line.” The Jinbo Party’s leader denounced the presidential office’s account as false and hinted at potential legal action.
Lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party rallied in defense of the security agents, justifying their actions as a necessary measure against what they labeled as “public intimidation” targeting the head of state.
