Yoon Mi-hyang, First Referral to Ruling Party Ethics Inspection Team Possible...Top Council Discussion Today

Lee Nak-yeon, Party Leader: "Will Discuss Linking Formation of Ethics Inspection Team"
Disciplinary and Audit Requests Possible by Party Leader's Order Upon Referral to Inspection Team
Yoon Mi-hyang: "Will Not Exercise Party Membership Rights Until Charges Are Clarified"
Joo Ho-young: "Justification for Proportional Representation Recommendation Disappeared... Should Resign from Assembly Seat as Well"

Assemblyman Yoon is attending and questioning at the full meeting of the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee on the 15th. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] The Democratic Party's stance on whether to retain Rep. Yoon Mee-hyang, who was indicted without detention on eight charges including violation of subsidy management laws and quasi-fraud related to the Justice and Memory Foundation, is scheduled to be discussed at the Democratic Party's Supreme Council meeting on the 16th. There is also a possibility that Rep. Yoon will be the first to be referred to the newly formed party Ethics Inspection Team on that day. On the 15th, Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon mentioned that the matter concerning Rep. Yoon would be discussed in connection with the Ethics Inspection Team.

At a press conference at the National Assembly on the same day, Leader Lee stated, "The Ethics Inspection Team, newly introduced at the party convention on the 29th of last month, will be formed tomorrow," adding, "We will discuss the matter concerning Rep. Yoon at tomorrow’s Supreme Council meeting in connection with the formation of the party Ethics Inspection Team, in accordance with the party constitution and regulations."

According to Article 80 of the Democratic Party’s constitution, the party secretary-general can suspend the duties of party officials indicted on charges related to corruption such as bribery and illegal political funds and request an investigation by the Ethics Tribunal.

Additionally, the Democratic Party amended its constitution at the last national delegate convention to newly include that "the party leader shall establish a permanent body for inspection activities, the Ethics Inspection Team, to prevent misconduct by elected officials and key party officials."

The Ethics Inspection Team is composed of experts both inside and outside the party and can, under the party leader’s direction, request disciplinary action from the Ethics Tribunal and audits from the Party Affairs Audit Office.

However, since Rep. Yoon herself stated after being indicted by the prosecution that she would not exercise any party membership rights, there is a possibility that only her party membership rights will be suspended first, with disciplinary measures to be discussed later depending on the trial outcome.

Earlier, on the 14th, Rep. Yoon wrote on her Facebook, "I thought I should no longer burden the party due to my personal indictment," emphasizing, "I will resign from my party position and will not exercise any party membership rights until the charges are clarified."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung also resigned from his party position and voluntarily suspended his party membership rights after being indicted on charges including violation of the Public Official Election Act. After receiving a not guilty ruling from the Supreme Court in July, he restored his party membership rights. Rep. Yoon is expected to follow this precedent.

Assemblyman Yoon is attending and questioning at the full meeting of the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee on the 15th. / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Rep. Yoon was indicted without detention on the 14th on eight charges including fraudulently receiving approximately 360 million KRW in government subsidies in collusion with staff from the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Jeongdaehyeop) and the Justice and Memory Foundation, and quasi-fraud for having the comfort woman victim Gil Won-ok, who has mental and physical disabilities, donate or gift a total of 79.2 million KRW to her in nine installments.

Rep. Yoon issued a statement on the same day, expressing "deep regret over the prosecution’s decision to proceed with an indictment without detention despite the fact that I, the organization, and activists have sincerely cooperated with the investigation for the past three months and sufficiently explained the facts."

She particularly emphasized that the donations from Ms. Gil were voluntary. Rep. Yoon stated, "Ms. Gil and other grandmothers clearly understood the meaning of the 'Women’s Human Rights Award,'" adding, "They voluntarily donated the prize money to share that meaning, and the claim that a grandmother suffering from severe dementia was deceived disregards the mental and physical autonomy of the grandmother and insults the 'comfort women' victims as well."

She further said, "Jeongdaehyeop, the Justice and Memory Foundation, and activists have devoted themselves to stabilizing the lives and promoting the human rights of Japanese military comfort women victims," and "Once we receive the indictment and evidence submitted by the prosecution, we will carefully review them and prove my innocence in court."

Meanwhile, opposition parties have called for Rep. Yoon to resign her parliamentary seat.

On the 15th, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at the party’s floor meeting, "(Rep. Yoon) was mainly recommended as a proportional representative by the Democratic Party because of her activities related to the Justice and Memory Foundation, but since there were many illegalities during those activities, there is no justification or reason for her to have been recommended as a proportional representative," and urged, "Rep. Yoon should promptly resign her parliamentary seat."

He added, "The People Power Party will consider filing a complaint with the Ethics Committee on this matter," explaining, "Although these incidents occurred before she became a lawmaker, the indictment has damaged the honor and dignity of a member of the National Assembly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.