People Power Party Launches Ethics Committee... Focus on Disciplinary Discussions for Kim Jaewon and Tae Youngho

The People Power Party's Central Ethics Committee completed its personnel composition and launched on the 24th. Attention is focused on whether the disciplinary proposals against Supreme Council members Kim Jaewon and Tae Youngho, who have recently been embroiled in controversy due to a series of gaffes, will be submitted to the Ethics Committee.

Yoo Sangbeom, the senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, said to reporters after the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that morning, "Today, we appointed Representative Jeon Juhye as the vice-chair of the Ethics Committee and selected seven members." Personnel other than Chairman Hwang Jeonggeun, who received his appointment letter on the 17th, and Vice-Chair Jeon were not disclosed for reasons of objectivity and neutrality.

Kim Ki-hyun, the leader of the People Power Party, is taking a commemorative photo after presenting the appointment certificate to lawyer Hwang Jeong-geun, who was appointed as the party's Ethics Committee Chairman, at the appointment ceremony for key party officials held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 17th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

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The Ethics Committee's activities are expected to begin in earnest from this weekend. Senior spokesperson Yoo explained, "Chairman Hwang is infected with COVID-19 and will be unable to carry out activities for about a week," adding, "The full-scale Ethics Committee meeting will probably be held this weekend or early next week."

It is widely expected that the first disciplinary discussions by the new Ethics Committee will include Supreme Council members Kim and Tae. Supreme Council member Kim suspended public activities for a month starting this month amid growing criticism over a series of gaffes, including remarks belittling the May 18 Democratic Uprising. Supreme Council member Tae was reported to the Ethics Committee after posting a controversial Facebook message on the 17th that read, "Junk Money Sex Democratic Party. As expected, JMS Democratic Party."

However, interest is growing as to whether disciplinary measures will be applied retroactively to Kim's gaffes, since Party Leader Kim Ki-hyun stated on the 6th, "From this moment on, I will exercise the authority granted to the party leader more strictly according to the party constitution and regulations regarding any words or actions that damage the party's image and embarrass the party, regardless of position." Kim's series of gaffes occurred before the 6th.

In response, senior spokesperson Yoo said, "From the moment the Ethics Committee chairman is appointed and the Ethics Committee is launched, the party cannot interfere at all with the activities and decisions of the Ethics Committee. It will be operated independently, so statements by the party leader or other members could be considered inappropriate influences on the Ethics Committee's activities." He added, "Whether to impose disciplinary action will be decided strictly by the independent judgment of the Ethics Committee chairman and members, and the disciplinary decision process will be conducted according to the party's constitution and regulations."

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