The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy on Monday demanded the government offer an apology for a claim by a U.S. weekly that the South Korean consul general in New York protested an article criticizing President Park Geun-hye.

The newspaper, the New York-based Nation, ran a story last week lambasting the Park administration’s crackdown on antigovernment protesters, likening her approach to the authoritarian rule of her deceased father and late strongman, Park Chung-hee.

The writer, Tim Shorrock, since wrote a post on his Facebook account on a “spate of phone calls” that he received from his editor about a complaint lodged by the consulate general, saying officials there wanted to have a meeting “to discuss” his article.

“What a disgraceful self-portrait of Korea. I have to question if they are trying to export a Korean-style censorship to the U.S.,” NPAD floor leader Rep. Jun Byung-hun said at a senior members’ meeting. “As it is not a matter borne out of the consulate general, I demand a proper explanation and grave apology from the government.”

NPAD lawmaker Jung Cheong-rae also said: “It’s a shame that the reporter exposed via Facebook that the consulate general officials called the newsroom to complain about the story and requested a meeting with the editor. We’re urging a probe into the consulate general officials.”

The issue broke out as controversy simmered over Park’s likening of antigovernment campaigners to Islamic State jihadists as they staged illegal demonstrations while wearing masks.

Since the crackdown on Nov. 14, critics and the media at home and abroad have lashed out at her lopsided perception and approach, which prompted the police to ban another massive rally last Saturday though later dampened by a court ruling.

Shorrock said the consulate general official did not go into any details or point out any factual errors in the story, instead repeating “vague words along the lines of the ‘remarkable progress Korea has made over the past four decades.’”

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)