Controversial official resigns over Gwangju Uprising remarks

Lee Byung-tae, vice chairman of the Presidential Committee on Regulatory Innovation, resigned on June 6 after sparking controversy with remarks about the May 18th Gwangju Uprising. Kang Yoo-jung, spokesperson for the presidential office, announced that Lee's resignation was accepted. Lee himself posted on Facebook, stating he decided to step down after concluding he should not burden the president and the government, and acknowledging his failure to properly consider political sensitivities. The controversy began on June 2 when Lee posted on Facebook that the Gwangju Uprising had become a "sanctuary" and compared the situation to North Korea, in response to disciplinary action against students who had cheered for the uprising. The presidential office issued a stern warning on June 4, calling his actions inappropriate and requesting he prevent recurrence. However, Lee continued to defend his views on Facebook on June 5 and 6, emphasizing freedom of expression. This led to calls from within the ruling party for his resignation, prompting the presidential office to recommend his resignation on June 6, citing the gravity of the matter. Lee, an emeritus professor at KAIST, is a conservative figure who served as the chief policy director for Hong Joon-pyo's presidential campaign last year. He was appointed to the regulatory committee in March under President Yoon Suk-yeol's policy of inclusive and pragmatic appointments. His past remarks, including calling pro-Japanese sentiment "natural and normal" and describing the Sewol ferry disaster memorial as a "symbol of this society's vulgarity," had previously ignited controversy.

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Lee Byung-tae, vice chairman of the Presidential Committee on Regulatory Innovation, resigned on June 6.