The minor opposition progressive Jinbo Party demanded on Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol apologize and dismiss the head of the presidential security service, Kim Yong-hyun, a day after Jinbo Party lawmaker Rep. Kang Sung-hee was forcibly removed from a ceremony to celebrate the launch of Jeonbuk State.

Kang, 51, represents the Eul constituency in Jeonju, Jeonbuk State's capital, and is the only member of the National Assembly from the Jinbo Party. The former labor activist won a parliamentary seat during the April 2023 by-election.

"We ask Yoon to express his direct apology (to Kang) and dismiss the presidential security service chief," Yoon Hee-suk, chairperson of the Jinbo Party, told reporters at the National Assembly.

She added that the presidential office's bodyguards had "violently put Yoon's reign of terror into action," calling the bodyguards' physical scuffle with the lawmaker "no different than the behavior of the military dictatorship that denied (Korea) democracy."

On Thursday, bodyguards covered Kang's mouth, lifted up his arms and legs and dragged him out of the hall where the ceremony was being held, after Kang told Yoon repeatedly to change his policies to prevent further citizen distress during and after their handshake. A source from the presidential office expressed regret that the lawmaker's behavior had "crossed the line," according to them.

Jinbo Party chief described the presidential office's statement regarding the incident as being false, adding that the party is considering pursuing legal action. Earlier on Thursday, a source from the presidential office had said Kang "did not let go of the handshake with Yoon and shouted at him," which was perceived as a threat to presidential security.

Kang said in the press conference that it was his duty as a lawmaker to "convey the voice of citizens to the president," referring to the bereaved families of the Itaewon crowd crush victims and the over 10,000 victims of jeonse rental payment fraud nationwide.

The main opposition party has also upped the ante. Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Park Ju-min said in a separate press conference Friday that the presidential office staff who were at the ceremony should be called in to a National Assembly committee meeting to provide an explanation of how the incident at the venue happened and to deliver a proper apology.