Seoul:The National Assembly of South Korea has passed a resolution initiated by the ruling Democratic Party (DP) to seek the expulsion of lawmaker Kim Tae-kyu. This development follows Kim's controversial statements regarding former President Chun Doo-hwan, whom he claimed did not commit an "insurrection."

According to Yonhap News Agency, the resolution was approved with 166 votes in favor during a parliamentary plenary session. Lawmakers from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) opted out of participating in the vote.

The controversy surrounding Kim erupted after he expressed in a YouTube interview that he did not believe Chun or former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law in December 2024, were guilty of insurrection. Chun's past includes a 1996 conviction for charges such as insurrection related to his involvement in a 1979 coup and the military's suppression of the Gwangju democratization movement in May 1980.

Despite the passage of the resolution, Kim's expulsion cannot occur without a separate motion requiring the approval of at least two-thirds of all sitting lawmakers at another parliamentary plenary session.

In addition to the expulsion resolution, the National Assembly also approved the formation of a special committee dedicated to promoting regional growth. This committee will support the government's "three mega projects" initiative, focusing on semiconductors and artificial intelligence, primarily in the southern region of the country. This resolution passed with a 145-10 vote, with eight abstentions and a boycott from most PPP lawmakers.