Conservative appointee resigns after controversial remarks about Gwangju

Lee Byung-tae, the vice chairman of South Korea's Regulatory Reform Committee, resigned Monday after sparking controversy with remarks that the May 18 Democratization Movement in Gwangju has become a "sacred cow" in Korean society. The presidential office accepted his resignation, with spokesperson Kang Yu-jung announcing the decision.

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Having concluded that I must not place an undue burden on my superiors within the government, I have acceded to a request for my voluntary resignation. Consequently, I have made the difficult decision to step down from my position as vice chair.

Lee, a veteran conservative figure and professor emeritus at KAIST, had commented on disciplinary action against a high school baseball team for mocking the 1980 massacre in Gwangju. He wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post that the Gwangju uprising had become a "sacred cow," likening the situation to North Korea. Despite the Blue House issuing a stern warning and asking for preventative measures, Lee doubled down, claiming his argument was about protecting freedom of expression.

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My failure to properly consider the political sensitivity surrounding these matters demonstrated a lack of discretion on my part.

His resignation comes after calls from within the ruling party for his removal. Lee stated on Facebook that he decided to step down to avoid placing an undue burden on his superiors, acknowledging a lack of discretion in considering the political sensitivity of his remarks. This incident follows previous criticism of Lee for comments made around his appointment in March, including remarks about normalizing collaboration with Japan and slamming events mourning the Sewol ferry disaster.

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The Gwangju uprising has become a sacred cow in this country.