The new floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party(DP), Hong Ihk-pyo, called on President Yoon Suk Yeol to apologize and expel justice minister Han Dong-hoon over the denial of a pretrial detention warrant for DP chief Lee Jae-myung.

At a Supreme Council meeting on Wednesday, Hong urged Yoon to stop attempting political incapacitation through the prosecution and to restore politics with respect for the National Assembly and the opposition party.

The floor leader said the president's apology and the minister's expulsion over what he called an "excessive political investigation" should be the first step.

He also urged the president to respect the parliament's passage of a motion recommending the dismissal of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and act accordingly.

Hong assessed the court’s denial of a warrant for the opposition leader to have been reasonable and logical, describing it as a judgment on the prosecution's "excessive investigation and abuse of power."

At a general meeting of DP Assembly members, the opposition approved of a statement officially demanding an apology from the president and the expulsion of the justice minister to take responsibility for an attempt at political oppression and the destruction of the opposition.