Rep. Pyo Chang-won of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Wednesday promised to make a public apology over the exhibition of a naked satirical portrait of President Park Geun-hye.

His remark was deemed a move to quickly resolve the dispute before it inflicts a blow on the party’s leadership or its presidential front-runner Moon Jae-in ahead of the upcoming election.

“I have been told that women were largely offended (by the painting) and for this reason I shall make a sincere apology in public,” Rep. Pyo told reporters.

“Artists are entitled to their freedom of expression but the exhibition not only brought shame on my party but also hurt the feelings of women.”

The first-term lawmaker had come under fire the previous day for holding a satirical art exhibition at a parliamentary building. The disputed piece, titled “Dirty Sleep,” showed Park lying down naked on a couch, in a parody of the renowned “Olympia” by French artist Edouard Monet.

The event was the opposition lawmaker’s gesture to support the so-called “blacklist artists,” referring to those who were identified by the Park administration for their anti-government stance and excluded from subsidies and key projects.

The allegation that the incumbent government kept under surveillance certain artists is considered a crucial factor in the ongoing investigation into the president’s wrongdoings.

But despite its intention to depict Park’s dereliction of duty and her inappropriate ties with her confidante Choi Soon-sil, the photomontage piece immediately came under fire for its sexually discriminative portrayal of the female president.

“This is not just misogyny but a disgrace to our nation’s dignity,” said Kim Sung-eun, a member of the ruling Saenuri Party’s emergency council, demanding the Democratic Party expel Rep. Pyo and the latter step down from his parliamentary seat.

Kim also extended the blame to Moon, the opposition party’s former chairman, for recruiting Pyo ahead of the general election last year.

“Moon, too, should express his apology and take active measures to calm the dispute.”

The Bareun Party, which officially set sail Tuesday after splitting from Saenuri, also called for self-control and dignity in freedom of artistic expression. 

“Artists may certainly satirize politicians without restraint, but politicians should not make use of them for political purposes,” said Rep. Choung Byoung-gug, the newly elected chairman of the party.

Facing disapproval from the political circle and the public, the Democratic Party also set about taking measures.

“The party is considering holding a disciplinary meeting to decide on Rep. Pyo’s sanctions,” chief spokesperson Rep. Youn Kwan-suk told reporters.

“We believe it will be best to round off the talks before the Lunar New Year holiday, as early as tomorrow if possible.”

Floor leader Rep. Woo Sang-ho defined Rep. Pyo’s involvement in the exhibition as a “punishable act.”

“If someone had drawn a nude painting of former President Roh Moo-hyun during his (parliamentary) impeachment, we would not have remained silent,” he said during a party meeting.

The former liberal president was impeached in 2004 over allegedly breaching political neutrality but was later reinstated by the Constitutional Court.

This was not the first time that Rep. Pyo -- a former professor at the National Police University -- has faced a dispute since he joined politics last year.

Last year, he vowed to go public with a list of Saenuri lawmakers who voted against Park’s impeachment bill.

More recently, he suggested that elected public posts should only be allowed to those aged 65 or under, apparently targeting potential conservative presidential candidate Ban Ki-moon, aged 72.

His argument led to backlash from the conservative camp and their support base which said Rep. Pyo was discriminating against senior citizens.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)