Lee Jin-sook, in response to criticism of '5·18 demeaning forum'... "Did you also criticize Kim Jong-un's welcome gathering?"

Nationwide legislator 이진숙 has criticized the recent ‘5·18 Demolition Forum’ hosted by 국회, stating that it received the same level of criticism as a recent 토론회. He said on Thursday during a Facebook post, “Discussing 5·18 in the context of the constitution is pointless. 5·18 is not the exclusive property of a specific group or region.”

He added that there were only a couple of disturbances during the 토론회, which lasted for nearly three and a half hours as hundreds of attendees remained seated. He further stated that this discussion (censorship) would be an undemocratic outcome, restricting freedom of thought and expression. The previous day's 토론회 featured 발제자 이영훈 from 뉴라이트, who referred to 5·18 as “the turbulent week following the assassination of President Park Chung-hee in May 1980,” and argued that the 5·18 cultural power, dominated by left-leaning political forces and historians, needed to be dismantled and redefined. 이진숙's remarks have sparked strong opposition, with 강한 항의 being heard, such as “Did you acknowledge it at all?”

“Wasn’t Park Chung-hee right?” and “Don’t distort 5·18.” 국민의힘 representatives and 선긋기 have been quick to criticize, prompting 국회원 최은석 to explain the party's stance on the issue.