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'Entirely my fault': Attorney Kim Ye-won apologizes for remark about DP rep's disability

Published: 11 Jul. 2025, 11:43

Attorney Kim Ye-won, left, and Democratic Party Rep. Park Jie-won, right, are seen during the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee hearing at the National Assembly in Yeouido in western Seoul on July 9. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Attorney Kim Ye-won issued a public apology on Thursday for referencing Democratic Party Rep. Park Jie-won’s disability, saying the mistake was “entirely my fault.”

“I’ve always thought highly of Park for actively serving in the National Assembly while wearing a prosthetic eye,” wrote Kim on Facebook. “But when I saw him in person for the first time in a while, I let my sense of one-sided familiarity get the better of me and behaved rudely."

“I apologized to him this morning, and he must have been taken aback by what I said,” Kim wrote. “Fortunately, he said it was okay and graciously accepted my apology.”

The controversy arose during a public hearing held by the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee on Thursday on prosecution reform bills. Representing the opposition People Power Party, Kim had voiced concerns about the potential repercussions of dismantling the prosecution service.

“You’re a lawyer known for defending the underprivileged — don’t let it sound like you’re opposing reform that curbs political prosecutors,” Park had said to Kim.

To this, Kim replied, “You’ve lost sight in one eye, right? I have, too.” She went on to say, “I’ve lived with a disability all my life, but I rarely encountered other disabled people until I began public interest work as a lawyer.”

Kim later elaborated on her intentions: “Park’s question seemed to suggest, ‘Why are you opposing prosecution reform if you claim to stand with the marginalized?’ I instinctively felt the need to clarify where I was coming from.”

“Though I’ve had a disability since birth, I did well in school and was outspoken, so I rarely faced discrimination — until I became a public interest lawyer and met many disabled individuals who are treated as invisible by society,” Kim wrote. “I meant to say that systems must be designed with those people in mind.”

“But due to time constraints, I wasn’t able to fully explain myself,” Kim wrote. “Instead, I ended up giving an awkward and inappropriate answer.”

She concluded by saying, “To those hurt and angered by my careless words, I offer my sincerest apologies. Regardless of my intentions, nothing can excuse my actions yesterday.”

Kim, who is visually impaired, has been practicing law since 2012 and is currently the head attorney at the Disability Rights Law Center, where she advocates for legal and systemic improvements to support people with disabilities.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]