People Power Party Expels Lee Hyehoon at Supreme Council Meeting: "Act of Betrayal"

Voices of Criticism Erupt Within the Party

On December 28, the People Power Party expelled former lawmaker Lee Hyehoon, a party member who was selected as the first Minister of Planning and Budget nominee for the Lee Jaemyung administration.

In a press release, the People Power Party announced, "This afternoon, we held a Supreme Council meeting and, in accordance with the party constitution and regulations, passed an agenda item to expel former lawmaker Lee and to nullify all party work she carried out as a party official."

Yonhap News Agency

The party added, "As a district party committee chair, former lawmaker Lee agreed to be appointed as a cabinet minister in the Lee Jaemyung administration, thereby willingly cooperating with the current government. With only six months left until the local elections, this constitutes the most egregious act of betrayal against the people and party members in our history."

The party further stated, "By failing to disclose her nomination as a cabinet member while continuing to participate in party work, including conducting evaluations of elected officials, she disrupted party order and deliberately interfered with party operations-behavior that no one with sound judgment would ever commit."

There is also a strong backlash within the party. Lawmaker Bae Hyunjin criticized via social media, saying, "For a former three-term senior lawmaker from Seocho-gap, Seoul-a strategic stronghold and key region for the People Power Party-and the current district party chair for Jung and Seongdong-eul, to join the Lee Jaemyung administration without even submitting a withdrawal from the party is a clear act of betrayal that goes beyond political ethics."

Joo Jinwoo, another party lawmaker, posted a photo of a banner put up by former lawmaker Lee in the name of the party members' council that read, "The Republic of Korea is collapsing due to the Democratic Party's incitement of rebellion," and wrote, "Conservative defection is guilty. Verification of Lee Hyehoon begins." Former party leader Han Donghoon also posted, "What exactly is the identity of the Lee Jaemyung administration that nominates someone who defends martial law and calls for 'Yoon Again' as a key minister?"