Yeo Leadership Strengthened Ethics Committee
"Passed Without Special Objections"
Yoo Sang-beom's Committee Seat Vacant
Lee Jun-seok's Attendance at Ethics Committee Uncertain
Lee Jun-seok, former leader of the People Power Party, is attending the hearing for the injunction to suspend the effectiveness of the People Power Party's party rules at the Seoul Southern District Court in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, on the 28th. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers.
[Asia Economy reporters Hyunju Lee and Hyunji Kwon] The Emergency Committee of the People Power Party passed the reappointment plan for Lee Yang-hee, chairman of the Central Party Ethics Committee, on the 6th. Since additional disciplinary procedures for former representative Lee Jun-seok were announced on the same day, it is interpreted that the Emergency Committee leadership supported the Ethics Committee led by Chairman Lee.
Kim Byung-min, a member of the People Power Party Emergency Committee, said at a meeting with reporters after the meeting, "Since the chairman's term was about to expire and there were many pending issues, it was extended for continuity."
According to the People Power Party's party constitution and regulations, the term of the Ethics Committee chairman and members is one year, but they can be reappointed once. Chairman Lee's term, which was until the 14th of this month, has been extended until October next year.
The Emergency Committee's closed meeting on the day passed the motion without any particular objections. Emergency Committee member Kim Haeng said, "I received a report from Secretary-General Kim Seok-ki, and I would like to say that it was passed without objection." The Ethics Committee's total membership is nine, and the seat of member Yoo Sang-beom, who resigned due to the 'text message controversy,' was left vacant while the term was extended.
The Ethics Committee began deliberations on additional disciplinary measures against former representative Lee from 7 p.m. that day. Former representative Lee is under disciplinary review by the Ethics Committee for criticizing President Yoon Seok-youl and the party using expressions such as 'Yangduguyuk' and 'new military regime.' The Ethics Committee recently stated in a summons sent to former representative Lee that disciplinary reasons include "using insulting and critical expressions without objective grounds against party members, affiliated lawmakers, and party organizations, damaging unity and dignity, and engaging in harmful acts against the party."
Within the party, it is widely expected that the Ethics Committee will impose severe disciplinary action on former representative Lee. However, it is highly likely to conclude with a 'three-year suspension of party membership rights' rather than expulsion or a request to leave the party. Expulsion carries too much political burden, and disciplinary action recommending withdrawal requires leaving the party within 10 days after receiving the sanction. If the member does not leave, the Emergency Committee must vote on expulsion, and depending on the injunction results, the disciplinary action itself could be invalidated.
Former representative Lee is also expected to file an injunction against any additional disciplinary action, even if it is not expulsion or a request to leave the party.
Meanwhile, former representative Lee was requested by the Ethics Committee to appear on the day but claimed that the request was "unconstitutional and illegal, and therefore obviously invalid," making his attendance uncertain.
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