| Rep. Chung Jin-suk of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party |
By Park Ji-won
An incumbent and a former lawmaker of the largest conservative party, the Liberty Korea Party (LKP), came under fire, Tuesday, for making defamatory remarks against victims of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster and those who lost loved ones. Political parties, even their own party, condemned the two for disparaging the 304 dead.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) called for the immediate expulsion of incumbent Rep. Chung Jin-suk of the LKP and Cha Myung-jin, a former LKP lawmaker who is currently heading a regional office of the party.
“Chung and Cha continued to make defamatory remarks against the victims and bereaved families. It is tragic for the party to make an official comment on these subjects,” Rep. Lee Jae-jung, spokeswoman of the DPK, said Tuesday.
Citing the remarks of LKP Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn and LKP floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won, who expressed regrets over Chung and Cha's remarks, Lee added, “If the two were sincere about what they said, the LKP should expel Chung from the National Assembly and Cha from the party.”
Her remarks came after Chung and Cha made comments to criticizing the surviving victims of the disaster and families of the deceased over their fact-finding activities. The victims and their families announced Monday the list of 18 people who were responsible for what happened and escaped punishment. Former President Park Geun-hye and former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn were on the list.
Cha posted on Facebook on Monday that the bereaved families of the Sewol ferry disaster were taking advantage of the people's sympathy over their children's deaths.
He added that they are blaming former President Park Geun-hye and former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who had nothing to do with the disaster, to offload their own feelings of responsibility and guilt. Cha later deleted his post and apologized for hurting the victims and families.
He said he will suspend his broadcasting activities.
Rep. Chung Jin-suk posted a message he received on Facebook Tuesday which said “Stop using the Sewol disaster. If the families felt sorry about their children, they shouldn't do this. I am sick of it.” He also deleted the post.
Other political parties including the progressive Justice Party also lashed out at them, saying their intention is to protect the former president and prime minister.
The April 16 Network, an organization calling for continued truth-finding into the Sewol disaster, announced that it is considering filing a complaint against Cha for making defamatory remarks against the victims and the bereaved.
Meanwhile, Hwang said Tuesday he is not responsible as the former prime minister for what happened as he was acquitted after being investigated.
He later expressed regret over Chung and Cha's remarks on the Sewol disaster, calling the statements “inappropriate” and offering his condolences to the victims and families.