SATIRE ART ON YOON REMOVED BEFORE EXHIBIT

[Anchor Lead]

Controversy is rising over the National Assembly Secretariat unilaterally removing political satire artworks in the middle of the night that were to be displayed at the National Assembly from Monday. Rival parties have been clashing over the exhibit, and some of the artists made a visit to the secretary general of the National Assembly in protest, and decided to cancel the event.

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This lobby in the lawmakers' office building was full of artworks on display. However, the same space was left empty with the exhibit removed overnight. Co-hosted by 12 Democratic Party and independent lawmakers, the exhibition was scheduled to open on Monday. But in a surprise move, officials from the National Assembly Secretariat raided and removed the artworks early in the morning of the scheduled opening day. Produced by some 30 artists, about 80 political satire works were put on display, including those critical of President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee. Previously, the National Assembly Secretariat sent three official requests to the lawmakers hosting the exhibition and asked them to remove the artworks voluntarily. They cited a rule that restricts the use of the venue when the event defames specific people or organizations. The secretariat went so far as to remove the exhibit on its own, as the official requests were not accepted.

[Soundbite] Lee Kwang-jae(Secretary General of the Nat’l Assembly) : "I am apologetic for not having sufficient communications with those preparing the exhibition."

The opposition bloc demanded the restoration of the removed exhibition, saying that the National Assembly secretariat violated the freedom of expression. The ruling party blasted the opposition lawmakers hosting the exhibition for rejecting the result of the 2022 presidential election and damaging the spirit of the Constitution.

[Soundbite] Youn Mee-hyang(Independent lawmaker) : "None of the 12 lawmakers hosting the exhibition agreed to the removal. They were taken off with the Nat’l Assembly Secretariat’s unilateral decision."

[Soundbite] Park Jeong-ha(Senior Spokesperson, PPP) : "It goes beyond political satire. It is an insult to the head of the state. DP lawmakers’ move to hold the vulgar exhibition is deplorable."

Some of the participating artists made a visit to the secretary general of the National Assembly in protest. However, they then announced a decision to cancel the event, saying they would never beg to hold an exhibition.