The People Power Party, which had been divided over its innovation plan, has fallen back into internal turmoil. The People Power Party's Party Affairs Audit Committee announced it would seek ethical sanctions of 'suspension of party membership for 3 years' against the party leadership during the 'candidate replacement controversy' in the 21st presidential election process. The incumbent faction strongly opposed it, saying, 'We cannot accept it.'
The People Power Party's Party Affairs Audit Committee concluded on the 25th that the attempt by the emergency response committee to replace candidate Kim Moon-soo, who had been elected through an intra-party primary during the 21st presidential election process, was 'a violation of the party constitution and regulations and an illegal act without procedural legitimacy.' It also stated that it would seek ethical sanctions of 'suspension of party membership for 3 years' against then-Chairperson Kwon Young-se and then-Secretary General Lee Yang-soo.
Chairperson Yoo Il-jun pointed out during a related briefing that 'the attempt for replacement under Article 74, Section 2 of the party constitution was illegal, as there was no basis under the party constitution and regulations.'
Article 74, Section 2 of the People Power Party's constitution states, 'In cases where there are substantial reasons, matters related to the selection of presidential candidates shall be deliberated by the presidential candidate election management committee and decided by the resolution of the Supreme Council (emergency response committee).' According to the interpretation of the party constitution, this provision can only be applied during a simple election process and that the emergency response committee had no authority or constitutional basis to replace candidates after they were elected.
The audit committee also pointed out that Secretary General Lee Yang-soo, who served concurrently as Chairperson of the election management committee, had not fulfilled 'neutral obligations' by directly reporting and leading discussions on emergency response committee agendas. It explained that it decided to refer the severe sanctions against former Chairperson Kwon and former Secretary General Lee to the ethics committee. However, it did not take any disciplinary action against some emergency response committee members and election management committee members, including then-Representative Kweon Seong-dong.
The party's ethics committee plans to make a final decision based on the Party Affairs Audit Committee's investigation. If the suspension of party membership for 3 years against Kwon Young-se and Lee Yang-soo is confirmed, the two lawmakers will not be able to run as candidates for the People Power Party in the 2028 general election.
In response to the Party Affairs Audit Committee's decision, the party's Kwon Seong-dong immediately protested. He stated through his Facebook on the same day that it was 'an unacceptable decision' and that 'I am confident it will be corrected, and those who led this factional decision will surely be held accountable.'
Former floor leader and emergency response committee member Kwon Seong-dong also expressed, 'Today's announcement is extremely regrettable as it is an arbitrary and biased decision,' and added, 'I too urge you to refer me for disciplinary action together with these two.'
He remarked, 'The Party Affairs Audit Committee's result-oriented interpretation beyond the court's judgment only adds unnecessary burdens to our party, which is experiencing unprecedented difficulties.'
Representative Kang Myung-gu, who was the secretary general of the former chairperson during the 'candidate replacement controversy,' stated, 'At that time, Chairperson Kwon accepted the members' decision against the candidate replacement and resigned from the position of emergency response committee chairperson. Secretary General Lee Yang-soo also resigned together. They took political responsibility.'
In particular, he stated, 'I remember there were several issues raised regarding the need for an audit of party affairs over the past year, but Chairperson Yoo's proactive request for sanctions in this matter alone is not consistent with fairness.'
Chairperson Yoo was appointed by former leader Han Dong-hoon during his tenure, and this is interpreted as a criticism of Han's failure to conduct party affairs audits during the controversy over the 'party members' bulletin board' that arose last year, predominantly among the pro-Yoon faction.