Kim Eunhye Criticizes Democratic Party's "Tail-Cutting Show"
Calls for Thorough Investigation into Lee Choonseok's Stock Trading Scandal
On August 6, the People Power Party submitted a disciplinary request to the National Assembly against Lee Choonseok, a lawmaker who left the Democratic Party over allegations of stock trading under borrowed names.
Kwak Gyutaek, head of the People Power Party's Legal Advisory Committee, visited the National Assembly Secretariat that day to file the disciplinary request. Speaking to reporters afterward, he stated, "Lee conducted stock transactions inside the main chamber of the National Assembly, and the trades were made under borrowed names," adding, "We have submitted the disciplinary proposal to the National Assembly Ethics Committee."
Park Chungkwon, Kim Eunhye, Kwak Gyutaek, and Cho Seunghwan, members of the People Power Party, submitted a disciplinary proposal against Lee Chunseok of the Democratic Party of Korea at the National Assembly Secretariat on August 6, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin
Kwak further explained, "The person whose name was used for the borrowed-name trading is a current aide," and continued, "Given the nature of the stocks traded, there is a strong suspicion that Lee may have obtained information in advance or illegally used information that could raise concerns about a conflict of interest."
Kim Eunhye, the People Power Party's Senior Deputy Floor Leader for Policy, who also submitted the disciplinary request, criticized, "Lee is the king of foul play, and the Democratic Party responded with a mere show of cutting off the tail." She added, "There are suspicions of insider trading using undisclosed information. This constitutes violations of the Capital Markets Act, the Real Name Financial Transactions Act, and the Public Officials Ethics Act."
She continued, "In 2017, during a hearing, Lee criticized stock trading that could involve insider trading as a betrayal of the principle of noblesse oblige," and pointed out, "He should turn the finger he used to criticize others toward himself and reflect on whether he is qualified to be a public official."
Park Chungkwon, another People Power Party lawmaker, addressed the Democratic Party, saying, "Despite suspicions that internal information from the National Policy Planning Committee may have been used, the party moved at lightning speed to discuss expulsion." He added, "President Lee Jaemyung also called for a thorough investigation, but the speed at which the party cut off the tail was so fast even a lizard would envy it." He further urged, "This alone cannot resolve the case. A thorough investigation and a comprehensive review of the entire National Policy Planning Committee are necessary."
Previously, on August 4, Lee was photographed trading stocks on his mobile phone inside the main chamber. The account owner in the photo was not Lee, but an aide with the surname Cha, raising suspicions of trading under a borrowed name. As the controversy grew, Lee left the Democratic Party and resigned from his position as chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
On the same day, the Democratic Party expelled Lee and nominated Choo Mi-ae, a Democratic Party lawmaker, to fill the now-vacant chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Kwak argued, "There has been considerable controversy between the ruling and opposition parties over the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Traditionally, the chair is held by the second-largest party that does not produce the speaker, to maintain checks and balances. This time, the People Power Party should be given the chairmanship."
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