People Power Party ethics committee lowers Kwon Young-jin's disciplinary measure from 18 months to one year

[Financial News] The Central Ethics Committee of the People Power Party lowered its disciplinary measure against Rep. Kwon Young-jin on the 30th, reducing the suspension of his party membership rights from one year and six months to one year. Kwon had been widely expected to have difficulty applying for the party's nomination in the 2028 general election because of the severe disciplinary action. The easing of the measure has now opened the door for him to seek the nomination.
The ethics committee held a meeting at the party's central headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, that day to review Kwon's petition for reconsideration. The committee stated, "Having accepted the petitioner's explanation and recognized that the petition for reconsideration had merit, we canceled the original decision to suspend his party membership rights for one year and six months and decided to suspend them for one year instead."
Kwon was previously referred to the ethics committee on July 23 after grabbing floor leader Chung Jeom-sik by the collar while protesting his assignment to a standing committee during the second half of the 22nd National Assembly. At the time, the committee decided to suspend his party membership rights for one year and six months, stating, "Although the person subject to disciplinary action formally apologized to floor leader Chung and expressed remorse, using physical force was an act unbecoming of a member of the National Assembly," and adding that it "damaged the party's honor and prestige."
With Kwon's suspension of party membership rights shortened by six months, he is expected to become eligible to apply for the party's nomination in the 23rd general election, scheduled for 2028.
Shortly after the reconsideration result was announced, Rep. Kwon Young-jin said on social media, "I accept the ethics committee's reconsideration decision. I once again express my deepest apologies for causing concern to the people and my fellow party members because of my shortcomings," adding, "I will now fulfill my responsibilities as a member of the National Assembly during the upcoming regular session and parliamentary audits."
Meanwhile, the ethics committee voted to cancel the disciplinary measures suspending the duties of Reps. Lim Jong-deuk and Yoon Han-hong, who were indicted by the Special Counsel for Insurrection and the Second Comprehensive Special Prosecutor Team, respectively. Under the People Power Party's regulations, anyone indicted on allegations of violating the law is immediately barred from running in various party primaries and from applying through open nomination processes. However, when substantial grounds such as political persecution are recognized, the party leader may cancel or suspend the disciplinary measure following a resolution by the Central Ethics Committee. The committee canceled the measure against Lim after he received a court ruling dismissing the indictment, while it determined that Yoon's case constituted political persecution and canceled the measure against him.
[email protected] Lee Hae-ram Reporter