The Democratic Party of Korea ethics tribunal on the 19th effectively imposed an ex post expulsion on Rep. Kim Byung-kee, who voluntarily left the party.
According to the political scene, the Democratic Party ethics tribunal took action to confirm a disciplinary fact equivalent to expulsion for the lawmaker.
Under party rules, the ethics tribunal can decide to confirm that grounds for discipline exist even for someone who has left the party. The tribunal's decision confirming the disciplinary fact for the lawmaker amounts to an effective ex post expulsion.
Going forward, if the party membership review committee reviews the lawmaker's reinstatement, it will reflect the tribunal's decision in its deliberation.
The lawmaker has faced allegations of receiving nomination donations and of his spouse's private misuse of a district council corporate card. On the 12th, he received an expulsion from the tribunal, and that day he submitted his resignation from the party after saying he would forgo an appeal.
This action is the same as the disposition after Rep. Kang Sun-woo left the party on the 1st. Earlier, the Democratic Party took the same action against Rep. Lee Chun-seok, who left the party over allegations of stock name-lending transaction.