Gwangju Democratic Party Ethics Tribunal Postpones Disciplinary Action Against Ten City Council Members

Collusion and “Acts of Disloyalty” Alleged in Budget Committee Vote
“A Matter That Could Shake Political Careers... Caution Needed”

The Ethics Tribunal of the Gwangju Metropolitan Chapter of the Democratic Party of Korea has postponed its disciplinary decision regarding ten city council members involved in controversy over “acts of disloyalty” during the formation of the Special Budget and Accounts Committee. The need for caution was emphasized, given that the disciplinary outcome could directly impact the political careers of those involved.

The Gwangju City Council, where the Democratic Party holds a majority, held a full meeting of the Special Budget and Accounts Committee in July. Shim Changuk, an independent council member, was elected as chair, and Kim Yongim from the People Power Party was elected as vice chair. At the time, Democratic Party member Park Mijeong and Shim Changuk were both candidates for chair, but Shim was elected by a vote of 5 to 4. Despite the presence of seven Democratic Party council members and a two-term member from their own party running as a candidate, an independent was elected as chair for the first time since the council’s establishment. This led to suspicions of collusion among some Democratic Party members and sparked controversy over “acts of disloyalty.”

Gwangju City Council building.

The Gwangju Metropolitan Chapter of the Democratic Party referred the ten city council members, who caused internal discord during the committee selection process, to the Ethics Tribunal. The tribunal convened on the 10th to review the disciplinary petition but decided to continue its deliberations without reaching a conclusion.

On the 11th, an official from the chapter stated, "The members of the Ethics Tribunal determined that it was necessary to thoroughly examine the facts of the case," adding, "Given that disciplinary action could fundamentally threaten the political careers of those involved, a cautious approach was deemed essential."

The Ethics Tribunal is scheduled to reconvene on the 22nd to further discuss whether disciplinary measures will be taken.

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