In addition, the Democratic Party and 12 independent lawmakers criticized the National Assembly Secretariat for removing satirical works that were scheduled to be exhibited at the National Assembly Members' Hall today (9th), saying, "The National Assembly has trampled on freedom of expression."
Kang Min-jeong, Kim Seung-won, Kim Young-bae, Kim Yong-min, Yang Yi-won-young, Yu Jeong-ju, Lee Su-jin, Jang Gyeong-tae, Choi Kang-wook, and Hwang Un-ha of the Democratic Party, who are classified as hardliners, and independent lawmakers Min Hyeong-bae and Yoon Mi-hyang held a press conference and said, "The National Assembly Secretariat has raided the exhibition this morning to over 80 exhibits. The point was tampered with," he said.
They said, "The purpose of this exhibition was to satirize the political power that ignores the citizens and reigns over the sovereign, the media power that is helpless in front of living power, and the judicial power that pretends to be the handmaid of power." · I put together works that satirize the Yoon Seok-yeol regime, which was dominated by witchcraft."
"The National Assembly Secretariat forcibly broke the artist's will to sharply criticize power with satire," he argued, "I am ashamed of the reality that even the National Assembly cannot tolerate freedom of expression."
He continued, "Self-censorship based on assumptions is not a problem unique to the Secretary-General of the National Assembly. The Speaker of the National Assembly, who supervises the Secretary-General, should take responsibility." You have to give instructions,” he urged.
Hosted by the Seoul National Federation of Arts Groups and the Goodbye Exhibition Organizing Committee,
It is known that some of the exhibited works include a picture of President Yoon Seok-yeol wielding a knife with first lady Kim Kun-hee in the nude.
The National Assembly Secretariat sent official letters three times, requesting the voluntary removal of the exhibited works, saying, "The National Assembly Secretariat has permitted the use of the lobby on the condition that works that may violate Article 6, Subparagraph 5 of the Bylaws for the use of the National Assembly Members' Hall and Lobby will not be exhibited." It has been reported that
The bylaws of the National Assembly Secretariat state that 'the use of the meeting room and lobby is not permitted if the secretary general falls under any of the following subparagraphs'.
Article 6, Paragraph 5 of the Bylaws stipulates that 'if it is judged to be a meeting or event that may violate the rights of others, public morals, or social ethics, such as slandering a specific individual or group'.
The secretary-general who leads the National Assembly Secretariat is Lee Gwang-jae, a former member of the Democratic Party.
(Photo = Yonhap News)