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The Central Ethics Committee of the People Power Party is facing internal disputes after the party’s Supreme Council added two more members on the 30th. This comes after two ethics committee members stepped down, suggesting that disciplinary actions under Leader Jang Dong-hyeok’s direction will remain in place for now. Certain Supreme Council members expressed resistance to these new appointments.

Chief Spokesperson Choi Bo-yun addressed journalists following the Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the same day, stating, “The two ethics committee members who recently stepped down did so because of pressure and stress after their true identities were revealed in the media. Taking this into account, we have appointed two more members.” As per the People Power Party’s party constitution and rules, the ethics committee may consist of up to nine members. Initially, the committee had seven members, but two recent resignations have reduced its number to five.

In a private meeting, Leader Jang Dong-hyeok and Senior Member Woo Jae-jun reportedly had a strong discussion regarding further appointments. Woo suggested that an inquiry should be conducted into the recent conflicts inside the ethics committee, whereas Jang stated that the position could not remain empty and that interim replacements were essential. The additional appointments were eventually put to a vote.

Woo, who left the meeting early, said to reporters, “I think an investigation is needed to find out what has occurred inside the ethics committee and if it has been functioning with a bias. I was against the decision to fill the empty positions without resolving these concerns.”

The party’s ethics committee has recently experienced internal conflict. On the 27th, three members of the ethics committee participated in a meeting to determine whether to start disciplinary procedures against Representatives Cho Kyoung-tae, Kwon Young-jin, and Jin Jong-oh. Before the meeting, Vice Chairman Woo Jong-hwan and member Hwang Kyung-sun, who were not present, issued a statement urging Committee Chairman Yoon Min-woo and member Jeong Kyung-wook to publicly apologize for setting disciplinary guidelines that act as a loyalty pledge to the party leader. They further stated, “We will not allow the independent ethics committee to be used as a political tool for personal gain.”

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