The People Power Party ethics committee on the 26th issued a recommendation to leave the party for former top council member Kim Jong-hyuk, who is aligned with the pro-Han Dong-hoon faction. The reason, it said, was that he disparaged party members and the party leadership through media and other outlets.
The party ethics committee said that afternoon it had made the decision for the former top council member. This is a tougher punishment than the "two-year suspension of party membership" that the People Power Party's task audit committee had earlier recommended to the ethics committee. A recommendation to leave the party is a heavy disciplinary action under which a member is automatically expelled if they do not leave within 10 days of receiving notice of the disciplinary decision.
In its written decision, the ethics committee said, "The disciplined person, Kim Jong-hyuk, is subject to a recommendation to leave the party for violating Article 20 (grounds for disciplinary action) items 1 and 2 of the ethics committee regulations; Article 4 (maintenance of dignity) paragraph 1 items 2, 3, 4 and 7 of the code of ethics; and Article 6 (faithful performance of duties) paragraph 1."
It added, "Given the seriousness, intent, persistence, and premeditation of the problematic conduct, heavy discipline is necessary," noting, "The position of former top council member and current district party committee chair is by no means light. Nevertheless, using insulting, demeaning, and extreme expressions toward party leadership, fellow party members, and the affiliated party across multiple outlets cannot be seen as fulfilling the social responsibility commensurate with that position."