"I Kwang-jae Apologizes for Using 'Lame' Expression, Promises to Be Careful with Words and Actions"

Assemblywoman Jang Hye-young: "'Lame' is a derogatory remark about disabilities"
Jeon Jang-yeon: "Lee Kwang-jae's 'lame' remark is an undisputable hate expression"

Lee Kwang-jae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is asking questions to the government regarding education, social, and cultural fields at the National Assembly plenary session on the 24th of last month.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 6th, Lee Kwang-jae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, apologized sincerely for causing emotional harm to people with disabilities and their families by using the expression "jeolreumbari" (lame) during a National Assembly standing committee speech.

In a post on his Facebook on the same day, Lee said, "Above all, as a politician who should look after minorities, I deeply reflect on not having recognized the mistake before being criticized."

He added, "I will take this as an opportunity to be more careful with my words and actions in future legislative activities," and "I will pay closer attention to human rights issues of social minorities and policies that can improve their lives."

Earlier, on the 28th of last month, during a National Assembly Planning and Finance Committee meeting, Lee questioned Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Hong Nam-ki about the 'protection measures for single-homeowners,' saying, "If the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy does not fully understand the financial sector, the policy tools will inevitably become 'jeolreumbari' (lame). I hope you take this seriously," which sparked controversy.

Some criticized Lee's use of the term "jeolreumbari" as a derogatory expression against people with disabilities.

In particular, Jang Hye-young, a member of the Justice Party who was present at the meeting, said, "'Jeolreumbari' is clearly a discriminatory expression against people with disabilities. That someone like Committee Chair Lee Kwang-jae, who has been in politics for a very long time, would naturally use such a discriminatory remark shows how familiar such expressions are in our society," and added, "I hope the National Assembly, which should always set an example for the people, will be more cautious in using expressions that demean minorities."

The National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Jeonjangyeon) also criticized Lee's remarks as derogatory and hateful expressions against people with disabilities.

Jeonjangyeon issued a statement on the 5th, saying Lee's remarks were "a warning that if the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy does not perform properly, he will become 'jeolreumbari' (lame)," and called it "an unequivocal expression of hatred against people with disabilities that leaves no room for debate."

They continued, "Less than a month after the 21st National Assembly convened, discriminatory and hateful remarks against people with disabilities are rampant again," and pointed out, "This clearly reveals the violent reality of Korean society that hates and excludes people with disabilities within the National Assembly."

Previously, the Democratic Party had also raised issues with this expression. In January of this year, when Joo Ho-young of the United Future Party criticized then Prime Minister nominee Chung Sye-kyun as a "jeolreumbari Prime Minister," the Democratic Party issued a statement saying, "The term 'jeolreumbari' is a hateful expression against people with disabilities that disregards the vulnerable and proves a sense of superiority that one is different from and superior to people with disabilities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.