Ahn Cheol-soo: "Starting a Petition to Expel Spoiled Lee Jun-seok... Only Then the Party Can Revive"

Ahn Claims "Party Sinking Due to Fake News and Internal Betrayal"

People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo announced that he will launch a signature campaign to expel former leader Lee Jun-seok, accusing him of spreading fake news during the by-election process.

On the 13th, Ahn posted on his Facebook titled "Signature Campaign to Expel Spoiled Lee Jun-seok," stating, "I am launching a signature campaign requesting the expulsion of Lee Jun-seok for distributing fake news, defamation, and interfering with the Gangseo District Mayor election."

He added, "Since my opinion on the 12th that Lee Jun-seok should be expelled and the party should be reborn through expansion politics, I have received explosive support and encouragement, and a voluntary signature campaign agreeing to Lee Jun-seok's expulsion is underway. In response to many citizens' requests to expel spoiled Lee Jun-seok, I will submit the documents to the Ethics Committee together with those who have signed."

Ahn Cheol-soo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, is holding an emergency press conference on the 6th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

He also posted a video containing remarks from the by-election campaign on the 9th, which Lee had taken issue with. Ahn explained, "I am releasing the original video of Lee Jun-seok spreading fake news that I used profanity. You can see me turning the harsh words thrown by a passerby who does not support our party into humor."

Ahn said, "Expelling spoiled Lee Jun-seok, who is sinking the party by spreading fake news, internal strife, and spitting in my face, is necessary for public sentiment and the party to revive. I encourage many citizens who support the expulsion of spoiled Lee Jun-seok to participate."

The day before, Ahn had stated that Lee Jun-seok’s appearance on the radio, where he conveyed the controversy over Ahn’s alleged profanity during the by-election support campaign as if it were true, was the act in question and said he would file a complaint against him with the party’s Ethics Committee. In response, Lee fired back on Facebook, saying, "Did you just write a long nonsense and fall down?"