A civic advocacy group has filed a petition with the National Human Rights Council against ruling Democratic Party Chairman Lee Hae-chan over derogatory remarks he allegedly made about people with physical and mental disabilities. 

The Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination held a press conference inside the council’s building in Seoul on Friday and called on Lee to submit a “letter of reflection” over his discriminatory comments by the Lunar New Year holiday next week. The civic group also urged the council to deliver their demand to the ruling party chief. 

Lee drew criticism after he said earlier this week that those born with a disability do not have strong will. He made the remark while introducing a local professor who had to end her former career as a ballerina due to an acquired spinal cord injury as the DP's first outside pick to represent the party in the upcoming general elections. 

Lee was previously mired in similar controversy in December 2018 after he said there were many “mentally disabled” in local politics.