The Democratic Party Launches 'Citizen Group Advancement Special Committee'... Ha Tae-kyung Appointed as Chairman

"Elevating TF to Special Committee by Representative's Directive"

On the 29th, the People Power Party formed the 'Special Committee for the Advancement of Civic Groups' (Special Committee) to respond to various controversies involving corruption and misconduct within civic organizations, appointing three-term lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung as the committee chair.

The People Power Party announced that it resolved this decision during a closed video Supreme Council meeting held that afternoon. The Special Committee is composed of a total of nine members, including party lawmakers, party district chiefs, and external experts.

People Power Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung.
Photo by Yonhap News

Within the National Assembly, four lawmakers?Ha Tae-kyung, Ryu Seong-gil, Lee Man-hee, and Seo Beom-su?are participating as members. Outside the Assembly, five members are involved: Hong Jong-gi, a lawyer and district chief of the Suwon City Administration Party in Gyeonggi Province; Min Kyung-woo, co-representative of the Alternative Coalition; Kim Hye-jun, chairman of the corporation Together Fathers; Kim Ik-hwan, representative of Open North Korea Broadcasting; and Kim So-yang, former Seoul city council member.

Accountant Kim Kyung-ryul (co-representative of Economic Democracy 21) was also offered a committee position but reportedly declined.

A party official explained that additional appointments of experts from both inside and outside the party and civic groups are expected during the Special Committee’s future activities. The People Power Party stated, "The Special Committee will do its utmost to establish systems and measures so that civic groups can regain the trust of the people and fulfill their fundamental role as the social conscience."

Earlier, on the 25th, the People Power Party decided to launch a 'Task Force (TF) for the Normalization of Civic Groups' under the party following controversies surrounding a civic group that has been supporting victims of forced labor during the Japanese occupation. Although initially planned as a TF organization, the status was elevated to a Special Committee by the directive of Representative Kim Ki-hyun to strengthen its activities.