Sim Sang-jeung, chairperson of the Progressive Justice Party and a prominent opposition figure, urged Rep. Lee Seok-ki to apologize to the people of South Korea over accusations of plotting to overthrow the government.

“As a member of a political party, he (Lee) needs to sincerely apologize to the shocked people for bringing about such an incident,” Sim said in an interview on a KBS radio show. “Apart from the legal judgment on the plot for armed revolt, Lee’s words and actions were anachronistic to the extent that were unacceptable for a lawmaker.”

Lee is suspected of having worked with other UPP members to form a secret organization called “Revolutionary Organization,” through which they allegedly conspired to subvert the Seoul government. Last week, the National Intelligence Service announced that it had a recording of the lawmaker planning such scheme.

The UPP denied the charges, accusing the spy agency of trying to divert public attention from its alleged meddling in December’s presidential election.

Sim urged Lee, of her former ally the UPP, to comply with the investigation.

She said the NIS was an organization with “the original sin,” in connection with its alleged meddling in elections, and asked the spy agency to hand over the case to the prosecution.

Other opposition figures have also distanced themselves from the scandal-ridden UPP and Lee. The main opposition Democratic Party leader Kim Han-gil implied on Monday that his party intended to pass the motion calling for Lee’s arrest.

“The DP must resist any forces that deny the values democracy and South Korea, whoever that opponent may be. Korea will be able to move forward to a proper future only when ties with such people are severed,” Kim said.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)