The leader of the main opposition party apologized Monday over allegations that a party lawmaker was involved in the assault of a driver and two passersby.
Rep. Kim Hyun of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) is accused of playing a part in a scuffle between several relatives of the victims of April’s deadly ferry sinking and the driver and passersby.
The relatives, after drinking with Kim near the National Assembly building last month, allegedly beat the call driver when he told the lawmaker he would leave because he could not wait any longer.
The passersby were allegedly beaten as they tried to help the driver.
“Rep. Kim Hyun devoted her all to healing the pain and sorrow of the Sewol families,” Rep. Moon Hee-sang, NPAD’s interim chief, said during a party meeting, referring to the 6,825-ton ferry that sank off the country’s southwest coast on April 16. “As the mother of a daughter in college, she was always by the side of the bereaved families who lost their precious children.
“However, regardless of what the reason may have been, I would like to offer a sincere apology from the bottom of my heart to the people over the fact that one of our party’s lawmakers caused trouble. I am sorry.”
The tragedy left more than 300 people dead or missing, most of them high school students on a field trip. Critics argue that the government’s poor initial response to the disaster contributed to the high death toll.
The opposition party has negotiated on behalf of the victims’
families with the ruling Saenuri Party to pass a bill aimed at determining the truth behind the disaster. (Yonhap)
