After the Rejection of Kim Nam-guk's Expulsion Proposal... "Democratic Party's Coin Shield"

People Power Party "Democratic Party Should Be Disciplined"
Justice Party "Democratic Party Opened the Way for Coin Eat-and-Run"
"How About Next Year's General Election"... Intra-Party Conservative Faction Also Expected to Rebel

The expulsion motion against Kim Nam-guk was rejected in the Ethics Special Committee subcommittee with a 3-3 tie vote... A fierce backlash is expected. The expulsion motion against Kim Nam-guk, who left the Democratic Party due to controversy over holding a large amount of virtual assets and trading during National Assembly standing committee meetings, was rejected at the National Assembly Ethics Special Committee subcommittee meeting held on the 30th. As the non-Lee Jae-myung faction (Bi-Lee Jae-myung faction) of the Democratic Party has been urging Kim to voluntarily resign, internal party conflicts are expected to intensify. The People Power Party and the Justice Party launched fierce attacks, calling it "Democratic Party's coin shield."

The Ethics Special Committee's 1st subcommittee held a meeting that afternoon and put the expulsion motion against Kim to a secret ballot, but the result was a 3 to 3 tie, so the motion was rejected. The 1st subcommittee chairman, Lee Yang-su of the People Power Party, told reporters after the meeting, "The vote was 3 in favor and 3 against, so it did not reach a majority, and the expulsion motion against Kim was rejected." Currently, the Ethics Special Committee subcommittee (6 members) is evenly split between the ruling and opposition parties, just like the full Ethics Special Committee (12 members).

Earlier, the Ethics Review Advisory Committee under the Ethics Special Committee recommended the highest disciplinary action, "expulsion from the National Assembly," against Kim on the 20th of last month. Originally, the ruling and opposition parties planned to decide the disciplinary level for Kim at the Ethics Special Committee subcommittee on the 22nd, but 30 minutes before the meeting, Kim suddenly declared he would not run again, and following the Democratic Party's proposal that "more time for consideration is needed," the vote was postponed to this day.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Because of this, it is presumed that Democratic Party members cast votes against the expulsion in the secret ballot. Song Ki-heon, the Democratic Party's secretary for the Ethics Special Committee, said, "As a result of discussions among Ethics Special Committee members, there was an opinion that this case itself is very important and that it is not appropriate to immediately expel an elected official chosen by voters," adding, "There have been even more serious incidents for which expulsion was not applied. Even cases where individuals continued serving prison sentences while detained were not expelled, so compared to those, expulsion in this case was considered insufficient." He continued, "(Kim) also declared he would not run again, thereby giving up his political rights, which was considered as a mitigating factor."

However, the People Power Party criticized the Democratic Party immediately after the rejection of the expulsion motion, stating, "The Democratic Party trampled on the promise made just a day before to reform itself. Disciplinary action is needed not only against Kim but also against the Democratic Party." They cited the Democratic Party's workshop's 8 major reforms, which included "thoroughly aligning political ethics and political culture with the public's expectations and regaining public trust through strong self-reform," to highlight the issue.

Kang Min-guk, spokesperson for the People Power Party, said, "The Democratic Party rejected the disciplinary motion against Kim at the Ethics Special Committee subcommittee meeting today, crushing their own promise before the ink was even dry," adding, "Although today's result is not surprising, public anger will now be directed beyond Kim to the Democratic Party, which once again chose the path of betrayal by ignoring the people's voice."

Targeting Kim Nam-guk, Kang said, "Kim's behavior, pursuing personal gain during standing committee sessions and provoking public outrage, is not just a political issue but an ethical problem of a National Assembly member," and added, "Do not package his announcement of not running again, made under public pressure without any reflection on his wrongdoing, as some great decision while he plans to continue receiving his salary for the remainder of his term."

The Justice Party also stated in a commentary, "The Justice Party cannot tolerate the rejection of the expulsion motion," and criticized, "The Democratic Party, by turning a blind eye to the member's cunning resignation, has paved the way for 'coin eat-and-run'." Kang Eun-mi, the Justice Party floor spokesperson, said, "Thanks to the Democratic Party's coin shield, Kim is about to receive an indefinite pardon," and pointed out, "The Democratic Party has set the worst precedent that makes it impossible to discipline other members even if their virtual asset speculation is revealed."

Backlash within the Democratic Party is also expected. Previously, the non-Lee Jae-myung faction urged Kim to voluntarily resign, opposing the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction. Especially with the expulsion motion rejected ahead of the vote on the arrest consent motion for Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party leader, next month, there are concerns that the "shield frame" will become entrenched. In this case, there is a high possibility that the opposition party's judgment theory will rise in next year's National Assembly general election. On the 25th, Democratic Party lawmaker Jo Eung-cheon said in a YTN radio interview, "If we do not expel him, what will we say to the people to ask for votes in the general election?" and "I am not saying expulsion is possible, but it should be done." Fellow party member Lee Won-wook also said, "Regarding Kim's case, we cannot reject the advisory committee's conclusion."