Ruling party refers opposition leader to ethics panel for 'insulting' Moon
Rep. Na Kyung-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party speaks with the party's key members at the National Assembly, Mar. 13. Yonhap
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) requested the parliamentary ethics panel Wednesday punish the floor leader of the main opposition party over her derisive remarks about President Moon Jae-in's engagement with North Korea.
In a parliamentary speech on Tuesday, Rep. Na Kyung-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) called on Moon to behave in a way that would prevent "compromising talk that South Korea's president is Kim Jong-un's top spokesman."
The DP filed a petition against Na with the special parliamentary committee on ethics alleging she violated parliamentary law that bans insulting remarks.
Na's speech sparked political tension at a time when the National Assembly managed to open its extra session last week after a two-month hiatus.
After Rep. Na Kyung won, bottom, criticized South Korean President Moon Jae-in by calling him "Kim Jong-un's top spokesman" in a parliamentary speeech on Tuesday, ruling Democratic Party's floor leader Hong Young-pyo goes up to the National Assembly Speaker's seat to object to the inappropriateness in her speech. Yonhap
The ruling party has unleashed a torrent of attacks on Na, saying that her remarks were an insult to the head of state.
DP lawmakers called for her resignation from the LKP floor leader post, with some insisting that Na give up her parliamentary seat.
"If she does not take back her remarks and apologize to the public, we will take strong actions, like filing a petition with the ethics committee," DP floor leader Hong Young-pyo said at a meeting with senior party members.
New LKP chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn warned Tuesday of stern action against the DP if it refers Na to the ethics committee. (Yonhap)