(LEAD) Ruling party chief calls for presidential secretary's apology over vulgar expressions in poems

(ATTN: ADDS name of PPP chief in para 3, DP's response in last 2 paras)

SEOUL, May 16 (Yonhap) -- The chief of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) called on a presidential secretary Monday to issue a public apology following revelations his poems included sexually insensitive lines.

The secretary for administrative affairs, Yoon Jae-soon, has found himself in hot water after poems he wrote about 20 years ago contained explicit expressions that describe sexual harassment taking place on the subway.

"Secretary Yoon must give a full apology to the public," PPP chief Lee Jun-seok said. "Looking through current standards that have changed over 20 years, there is a big gap between the public's view and various expressions he used as a poet."

Lee, however, stopped short of asking Yoon to step down, saying Tak Hyun-min, who was presidential protocol secretary under the Moon Jae-in administration, maintained his position after apologizing over inappropriate expressions in his book.

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) called for the secretary's resignation.

"It is shocking that the PPP and President Yoon Suk-yeol's government seem to have a deep-rooted sentiment that sexual harassment is a minor mistake," DP spokeswoman Shin Hyun-young said.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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