[Lee Jun-seok Disciplinary Action] Youngest Party Leader Finally Falls... Ruling Party Plunges into Chaos over Party Leadership Struggle

Unprecedented Severe Disciplinary Action Against Incumbent Party Leader 59 Days After Yoon Government Inauguration
Kwon Seong-dong "Apologize to the People, Very Unfortunate"... Acting Floor Leader
Party Turmoil Deepens... Kim Yong-tae "Ethics Committee Coup"

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is delivering opening remarks at the party's policy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy reporters Hyunju Lee and Boryeong Geum] The People Power Party (PPP) is facing its greatest crisis just 59 days after becoming the ruling party, as the incumbent party leader received an unprecedented severe disciplinary action of a six-month suspension of party membership rights. The PPP has shifted to a system where Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong acts as the interim leader in place of suspended leader Lee Jun-seok and is working on countermeasures. Since Lee has expressed his intention to appeal the Ethics Committee’s decision, internal strife with the pro-Yoon faction is expected to deepen. Separately, there is also a growing concern that internal power struggles over the next party leadership will intensify.

At the National Assembly floor leaders’ meeting on the 8th, Floor Leader Kwon said, "The party is facing a serious crisis again just four months after winning the presidential election and one month after winning the local elections," and bowed his head, saying, "As the floor leader of the ruling party, I apologize to the people." He added, "This is a very unfortunate matter from the party’s perspective," and said, "I believe it is the duty of party members, including myself, to overcome the party’s confusion and heal the wounds."

On the same day, the PPP transitioned to an interim leadership system centered on Floor Leader Kwon. Kwon said, "If the Ethics Committee’s disciplinary action is seen as an ‘accident,’ then it is an interim leadership," and added, "(In Lee’s case) since his duties are suspended for six months, the majority opinion is to view it as an interim leadership system."

This is interpreted as meaning that Lee’s authority as party leader is suspended, but he has not resigned from the position. According to the PPP’s party rules, if the remaining term of the party leader is more than six months, a temporary party convention must be held within 60 days in case of vacancy. If Lee is considered vacant, a party convention should be held, but since his duties are only suspended, it is not a situation to hold a convention immediately. Floor Leader Kwon also showed a cautious stance regarding the complete resignation of the party leadership.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The unprecedented disciplinary action against the party leader has created a chaotic atmosphere within the PPP. The leadership’s expressions were consistently somber during the floor leaders’ meeting that day. There is an immediate confrontation over the effective timing of the Ethics Committee’s disciplinary action. Floor Leader Kwon said, "The disciplinary decision by the Ethics Committee takes effect immediately, suspending the party leader’s authority, and that authority is interpreted as being exercised by the floor leader as interim leader." On the other hand, Lee’s side interprets that the final authority over the disciplinary action lies with the party leader, leaving room for debate on whether the party leader’s duties have been suspended from that day.

Since this Ethics Committee disciplinary action leaves room for political interpretation, the internal strife within the party is expected to deepen further. Controversy over the ‘invisible hand’ is likely to continue due to the unprecedented decision to discipline Lee before any police investigation and the excessively severe level of punishment. A day earlier, JTBC reported a phone call in which Jang, a figure related to the case who reportedly wrote a 700 million won promissory note to Kim Cheol-geun, Chief of Political Affairs, on behalf of Kim Seong-jin, CEO of iKist, who allegedly provided sexual entertainment to Lee, mentioned ‘intervention from higher-ups.’ On the same day, Kim Yong-tae, a Supreme Council member of the PPP, expressed a heated reaction on the radio, saying, "The Ethics Committee staged a coup against the party leadership elected by party members and the people," and added, "I never expected the level of disciplinary action."

Some speculate that there is a strong possibility of pressure on the leadership with the argument that a party leader without party membership rights cannot be recognized in order to seize the next party leadership. One lawmaker said in a phone interview, "Personally, it pains me," and lamented, "I am already worried thinking about the even greater political fallout that will follow."