Sung Il-jong says Lee Jin-suk's May 18 forum 'not a disciplinary matter'

People Power Party lawmaker Sung Il-jong said Tuesday that fellow party member Lee Jin-suk's hosting of a "Forum for Reexamining the May 18 Democratization Movement" was "not a disciplinary matter."

Appearing on MBC Radio that day, Sung said Lee had "never made any disparaging remarks" at the forum and that she "would have no intention of undermining the spirit of May 18."

He said various organizations and interest groups often request that certain events be held, suggesting the forum may have stemmed from such a request. "Party leadership also urged restraint," he added.

Sung also said the spirit of May 18 is "an extraordinarily precious historical asset of the Republic of Korea — one that brought democracy into full bloom through the struggle against military dictatorship," adding that "no one should be allowed to undermine the spirit of May 18."

On the party's Central Ethics Committee opening disciplinary proceedings Tuesday against four lawmakers and others, Sung said each lawmaker would likely explain their circumstances and that the committee would "make its own judgment taking those circumstances into account."

He added that coordinating behind the scenes and managing internal politics is "one of the functions a party must perform," describing the proceedings as part of that process.

Regarding the recent visit by party leader Jang Dong-hyeok and about 21 other lawmakers to Olympic Park, Sung said it was "not right to criticize citizens who are protesting" a ballot paper shortage that the National Election Commission itself had caused.

"The responsibility for that collapse lies with the National Election Commission," he said. "The path to the commission regaining its integrity and public trust is to find out what citizens are demanding — whether at Olympic Park or on the streets — and prove it on its own."