Recommendation to Suspend Party Membership of Pro-Han Kim Jonghyuk
Continued Investigation into Han Donghoon's Party Member Bulletin Board
Key Appointments of Anti-Han Figures Jang Yechang and Kim Minsu
Concerns Over Moves Contrary to Calls for Broader Outreach
The People Power Party appears to be seeking to rally its support base by targeting Han Donghoon through the Party Affairs Audit Committee. Both inside and outside the party, there are growing concerns that the leadership is acting contrary to calls for broader outreach.
On December 17, Kim Jonghyuk, former Supreme Council member and head of the Goyang-byeong district party committee in Gyeonggi Province, as well as a close associate of Han Donghoon, stated on social media, "I will resolutely fight against all attempts to undermine democracy." On December 16, the People Power Party Affairs Audit Committee recommended to the party's Ethics Committee that Kim be suspended from party membership for two years, citing violations of the party constitution, regulations, and ethical rules.
The Party Affairs Audit Committee recommended severe disciplinary action, claiming that Kim had compared the party to an extreme regime in multiple media outlets and used insulting language toward party members. Lee Hosun, chair of the Party Affairs Audit Committee, criticized Kim, saying, "This is a typical case of 'self-serving politics,' where someone bypasses internal procedures to incite discord and uses the party as a tool to boost their own political standing." The committee also decided to conduct a further investigation into the so-called 'party member bulletin board' controversy involving former leader Han Donghoon.
Recently, party leader Jang appointed Jang Yechang, former Supreme Council member, as deputy head of the Yeouido Institute, and Kim Minsu, Supreme Council member, as head of the Special Committee on Public Communication-both figures who have been at odds with former leader Han Donghoon. The issue is that Jang's actions seem disconnected from the reality that expanding the party's base is crucial ahead of the nationwide elections. A lawmaker representing a district in Busan expressed concern in a phone call, saying, "If only our core supporters are rallied, the remaining moderate conservatives will feel even more disillusioned and leave. Elections require addressing uncomfortable issues, but only seeing what you want to see is the worst possible strategy."
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