The People Power Party on the 12th sought to set up a memorial altar on the National Assembly grounds to mourn an employee of the Yangpyeong County Office, identified as A, who died during the special counsel investigation into Kim Keon-hee, but the National Assembly Secretariat denied the request.
Around 6:30 p.m. that day, the People Power Party tried to set up the altar in front of the Haetae statue at the main gate of the National Assembly, but less than five minutes after work began, staff from the Assembly's Security Division blocked it.
Work stopped after only the basic groundwork on the floor was completed, and accessories and chairs waiting at the site were moved back onto a truck at the request of the security office.
After preparing the altar, the People Power Party planned to hold an emergency general meeting of lawmakers on the morning of the 13th, followed by a group condolence visit by its members. To that end, it formally requested installation from the National Assembly Secretariat during the day, but the secretariat did not approve it.
A People Power Party official said, "We are in additional talks with the National Assembly Secretariat, but the secretariat's stance is negative," adding, "We were told it would be difficult because it does not fall under a social disaster."
The National Assembly Secretariat said it has allowed altar installations only as exceptions when an incident is recognized as a social disaster, and stated that this case does not apply.