Amid allegations of a “rigged disciplinary action” involving Jang Dong-hyeok, Han Dong-hoon says “the political purge has been exposed”; Jin Jong-oh says, “Resign”

[Financial News] On the 11th, Hwang Gyeong-seong, a People Power Party Ethics Committee member, described the Central Ethics Committee’s severe disciplinary actions against independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and People Power Party lawmaker Jin Jong-oh as “fabricated,” declaring, “I will uncover the truth behind the fabricated disciplinary action and correct the wrongful punishment.” Han criticized the move, saying, “The reality of the political purge has been exposed,” while Jin pressed for the party leader’s immediate resignation, saying, “Take political responsibility and resign immediately.”
According to a statement Hwang released that day, the People Power Party’s Party Affairs Audit Office said it was acting on “the leadership’s wishes” and demanded that all current Ethics Committee members resign so the Central Ethics Committee could be reconstituted. Five of the six committee members, including Chair Yoon Min-woo, have reportedly expressed their intention to resign.
Hwang argued, “The only person in the party leadership who can demand the resignation of Ethics Committee members is the party leader,” adding, “It was party leader Jang Dong-hyeok who demanded that every Ethics Committee member resign.”
“Every Ethics Committee member knows that Jang was the real force behind pushing through disciplinary action in the second half of the year, using Jin Jong-oh, who is close to Han, as a test case, after having lunch with Chair Yoon Min-woo on July 8,” he said. “Chair Yoon, who had reached an understanding with the party leader over a one-on-one lunch, immediately created a climate for disciplinary action and sought to engage in fabricated politics and political purges. But when internal members objected to the chair’s unilateral management style—as they had during the disciplinary action against Han in January—boycotted meetings and resigned, committee member Jeong Gyeong-uk was added, and on the 22nd a message of loyalty was issued, warning that anyone who criticized the party leader continuously, repeatedly and in an organized manner would face disciplinary action.”
Hwang described the party leadership’s attempt to replace Ethics Committee members as “a case of using people and then casting them aside to eliminate potential trouble, out of fear that the full details of the secret deal on fabricated disciplinary action between Jang and Chair Yoon would come to light.” He emphasized, “Only recently did I learn in detail the full extent of the Ethics Committee’s fabricated disciplinary actions, from the expulsion of lawmaker Han last January to the disciplinary action against lawmaker Jin in August, and I have even secured evidence.”
He said, “Although I have just over two months left in my term, I will take the lead in uncovering the truth behind these tainted, fabricated disciplinary actions, correcting wrongful decisions and ensuring that no one is unfairly victimized.”
In response, Han wrote on social media that day, “The very Ethics Committee member who expelled me confessed to having fabricated the disciplinary action against me and publicly apologized to me.” He added, “The serving Ethics Committee member directly involved in the decision to expel me has publicly identified themselves by name and said it was ‘fabricated discipline.’”
Han added, “It has now come to light that my expulsion, carried out using the Ethics Committee, was a political purge for the political benefit of a particular person.”
Jin also held a news conference at the National Assembly Communication Center that day and called on Jang to resign.
He said, “An insider has directly rejected the ‘independence of the Ethics Committee’ that Jang so often championed.” He added, “When calls were made to dismiss the Ethics Committee chair, Jang backed away, saying, ‘It’s an independent body, so I can’t get involved.’ Now he is demanding that every member submit a resignation letter, saying it is the leadership’s wish.”
Jin demanded, “What party member could accept this behavior—putting the Ethics Committee out front when it is useful, then trying to replace its members when they become inconvenient?” He continued, “Would he make a clown of himself to seize power, then push even his comrades in front of the blade of discipline to protect it?”
He also said, “I cannot help asking whether he took the party leadership post to serve the party, or used the party and his comrades to seize and hold on to that position.” He argued, “He suppressed criticism of the party leader in the name of restoring party discipline, then cloaked that cowardly exercise of power in the name of ‘ethics.’”
Jin pressed Jang, saying, “Disclose the full extent of the allegations, and if wrongful disciplinary action is confirmed, correct it immediately and apologize.” He added, “With the same hand you used to demand others’ resignation letters, write your own resignation now. If your position comes before the party, you are no longer fit to lead it.”

[email protected] Lee Hae-ram Reporter