Rival parties are not content with the level of disciplinary action the main opposition Liberty Korea Party(LKP) has taken against its lawmakers over their remarks disparaging the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement. 

Ruling Democratic Party floor spokeswoman Kwon Mi-hyuk told a briefing Thursday that it is regrettable Representatives Kim Jin-tae and Kim Soon-rye were not properly reprimanded.

Noting that the two lawmakers are running for the LKP leadership, Rep. Kwon also questioned if the main opposition is indeed willing to let those who distort history lead the party. 
 
Spokespeople for the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party and the Party for Democracy and Peace also raised issues with the lawmakers' candidacies for the LKP supreme council.  

The LKP's ethics committee on Thursday decided to expel Rep. Lee Jong-myeong from the party for making disparaging comments about the 1980 Gwangju Democracy Movement at a public hearing last week. 

The committee however deferred its decision for Kim Jin-tae and Kim Soon-rye, who have both registered their candidacies for the party's leadership race on February 27th. 

The three lawmakers drew fierce criticism after they alleged North Korean troops systematically incited protesters during the deadly uprising in Gwangju.