By Jun Ji-hye
President Park Geun-hye scolded two defiant opposition lawmakers at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.
"Such extreme remarks crossed the line, and cause political strife and national conflict. That is not for the people and this country," Park said.
Rep. Chang Ha-na of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) said she could not accept the result of last year's presidential election, while Rep. Yang Seung-jo, also of the DP, said Park would face a similar fate as her father, the late President Park Chung-hee who was assassinated by his then chief of the intelligence agency.
The governing Saenuri Party submitted a motion to the National Assembly Ethics Committee to deprive the two lawmakers of their seats. Rep. Kim Do-eup submitted it on the behalf of all 115 of the party's lawmakers.
Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan, floor leader of the ruling party, said, "Reps. Chang and Yang refused to offer minimal courtesy by making a scathing verbal attack against President Park using the tragic history involving her family."
He added, "The ruling party cannot let it slide this time as the two denied the legitimacy of the Park government and insulted a considerable number of people who voted for her."
Chang has been at the center of a controversy since she declared Sunday that she refused to accept the result of the election, saying it was "unfairly conducted" due to National Intelligence Service (NIS) launching a smear campaign against Park's opponents. She said the President should step down and the next year's local elections should include one to elect a new president.
A day after Chang made the remarks, Yang added fuel to the controversy by saying "if President Park maintains silence regarding the NIS incident, she might follow in footstep of her late father."
Chang and Yang said they have no intention of making an apology.
The former said she cannot acknowledge the election result because civil servants, paid with taxpayers' money, staged election campaigning that favored Park.
"The chances of the expulsion motion being approved are lower than those of President Park voluntarily stepping down, because remarks made by lawmakers are not cause for dismissal," said the first-term lawmaker.
Yang, a member of the DP's Supreme Council, claimed his remarks were distorted by the governing party and Cheong Wa Dae.
"I just wanted to say that Park should get out of her self-righteousness and arrogance, and return to the public as she is the only one who can resolve all the difficulties facing the country," he said, adding that he will not apologize for his "honest advice."
The largest opposition party criticized the ruling party, claiming it was unqualified to attack the two lawmakers as it was the originator of denying election results.
"Ruling party heavyweight Kim Moo-sung said in September 2003 that he would never acknowledge then President late Roh Moo-hyun as head of state. The party eventually submitted a motion to impeach Roh in March 2004," said Rep. Jung Cheong-rae.
Jung said the roots of all the problems are the alleged NIS scandal and the Park government's attempts to interfere in the prosecution's investigation into it.
"One of the most significant rights in a democratic society is the right to speak. The ruling party's move to expel Chang and Yang due to their remarks is just fear politics that the North Korea would play," he said.
President Park Geun-hye scolded two defiant opposition lawmakers at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.
"Such extreme remarks crossed the line, and cause political strife and national conflict. That is not for the people and this country," Park said.
Rep. Chang Ha-na of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) said she could not accept the result of last year's presidential election, while Rep. Yang Seung-jo, also of the DP, said Park would face a similar fate as her father, the late President Park Chung-hee who was assassinated by his then chief of the intelligence agency.
The governing Saenuri Party submitted a motion to the National Assembly Ethics Committee to deprive the two lawmakers of their seats. Rep. Kim Do-eup submitted it on the behalf of all 115 of the party's lawmakers.
Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan, floor leader of the ruling party, said, "Reps. Chang and Yang refused to offer minimal courtesy by making a scathing verbal attack against President Park using the tragic history involving her family."
He added, "The ruling party cannot let it slide this time as the two denied the legitimacy of the Park government and insulted a considerable number of people who voted for her."
Chang has been at the center of a controversy since she declared Sunday that she refused to accept the result of the election, saying it was "unfairly conducted" due to National Intelligence Service (NIS) launching a smear campaign against Park's opponents. She said the President should step down and the next year's local elections should include one to elect a new president.
A day after Chang made the remarks, Yang added fuel to the controversy by saying "if President Park maintains silence regarding the NIS incident, she might follow in footstep of her late father."
Chang and Yang said they have no intention of making an apology.
The former said she cannot acknowledge the election result because civil servants, paid with taxpayers' money, staged election campaigning that favored Park.
"The chances of the expulsion motion being approved are lower than those of President Park voluntarily stepping down, because remarks made by lawmakers are not cause for dismissal," said the first-term lawmaker.
Yang, a member of the DP's Supreme Council, claimed his remarks were distorted by the governing party and Cheong Wa Dae.
"I just wanted to say that Park should get out of her self-righteousness and arrogance, and return to the public as she is the only one who can resolve all the difficulties facing the country," he said, adding that he will not apologize for his "honest advice."
The largest opposition party criticized the ruling party, claiming it was unqualified to attack the two lawmakers as it was the originator of denying election results.
"Ruling party heavyweight Kim Moo-sung said in September 2003 that he would never acknowledge then President late Roh Moo-hyun as head of state. The party eventually submitted a motion to impeach Roh in March 2004," said Rep. Jung Cheong-rae.
Jung said the roots of all the problems are the alleged NIS scandal and the Park government's attempts to interfere in the prosecution's investigation into it.
"One of the most significant rights in a democratic society is the right to speak. The ruling party's move to expel Chang and Yang due to their remarks is just fear politics that the North Korea would play," he said.
