Democratic Party Gwangju City Party Issues Minor Disciplinary Actions to Nine Council Members Over Special Committee Controversy

Four Members Suspended from Party Positions, Five Receive Written Warnings, One Case Dismissed
Some Council Members Call Disciplinary Actions "Unfair"... Appeal to Central Party Announced

Nine out of ten city council members from the Democratic Party, who were embroiled in controversy over "improper conduct" during the formation of the Gwangju City Council's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts (hereinafter referred to as the Special Committee), have received minor disciplinary actions from the Gwangju City Party's Ethics Tribunal. This decision has brought internal conflicts and factional disputes within the party to the surface ahead of next year's local elections, and is expected to have significant political repercussions.

According to the Democratic Party's Gwangju City Party on September 25, the City Party's Ethics Tribunal held a meeting on September 22 and decided on disciplinary measures such as suspension of party positions and written warnings for the ten city council members involved.

This incident began last year when internal conflict erupted within the council after the Democratic Party nominated Assemblyman Seo Imseok as chair of the Special Committee. Ultimately, the Special Committee was formed without Assemblyman Seo. Despite the Democratic Party holding an overwhelming majority with seven out of nine committee members, the party, through a "closed-door vote," elected an independent council member as chair and a People Power Party council member as vice chair, sparking the controversy over improper conduct.

The Gwangju City Party judged that these actions undermined party unity and damaged the credibility of the party as a public institution, and referred the ten involved city council members to the Ethics Tribunal. The Ethics Tribunal imposed a one-year suspension of party position for Assemblyman Jeong Moochang, a six-month suspension for Assemblymembers Lee Gwisoon and Kim Nayoon, and a one-month suspension for Chairperson Shin Sujeong. In addition, five members-Kang Suhun, Park Mijeong, An Pyeonghwan, Jeong Daeun, and Chae Eunji-received written warnings, while the case against Assemblyman Seo Imseok was dismissed.

Meanwhile, disciplinary actions of "suspension of party position or less" within the Democratic Party are considered minor and do not result in substantial political disadvantages such as reduced chances of nomination. However, some council members have expressed their intention to appeal to the Central Party's Ethics Tribunal, claiming the disciplinary actions are unfair, raising the possibility that the Special Committee controversy could escalate to the central party level.

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