People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jin-suk files complaint against Democratic Party chief over 'female Hitler' remark

People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jin-suk filed a complaint Monday against Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok at Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul, accusing him of insult.

At a joint Democratic Party rally in South Jeolla Province and Gwangju on Aug. 15, Kim referred to Lee and said, "If we cannot expel her, we will amend the National Assembly Act to suspend her membership for one year and remove her from the Assembly," adding, "We will not allow a female Chun Doo-hwan or a female Hitler to set foot in the Republic of Korea."

Earlier, Lee had hosted a forum at the National Assembly on Aug. 13 on the May 18 pro-democracy movement. The event drew controversy after a participant described the uprising as a riot. Kim made the expulsion and "female Hitler" remarks targeting Lee during the Democratic Party's national convention after the forum, and Lee filed a complaint over those comments.

Lee said in a press statement Monday that she had decided to pursue legal accountability because "the expression 'female Hitler' goes beyond the bounds of political criticism and constitutes a malicious personal attack."

The Democratic Party pushed back against Lee's complaint. Party spokesperson Lee Yong-woo held a press conference at the National Assembly's media center Monday and said, "What Rep. Lee should be writing right now is not a complaint but a resignation letter." He added, "If she refuses to apologize or take responsibility after lending the National Assembly's space to claims that distort the historical truth of May 18, she has forfeited her qualifications as a lawmaker."

Under the current National Assembly Act, expelling a sitting lawmaker requires the approval of at least two-thirds of all registered Assembly members.