Internal clashes in the People Power Party are emerging as a "disciplinary conflict" between the central party and the Seoul chapter. The party leadership is disciplining the pro-Han faction at the Central Committee, while the pro-Han faction is disciplining the party leadership at the city chapter. Political circles say this is "happening in tandem with the issue of nomination rights in Seoul ahead of the June 3 local elections."
◇ At the central party, the party leadership disciplines the pro-Han faction vs. at the city chapter, the pro-Han faction disciplines the party leadership
The People Power Party central ethics committee held a meeting on the 11th on disciplinary action against lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin, who serves as head of the Seoul chapter. The process began after Lee Sang-gyu, head of the Seongbuk-eul district committee in Seoul and a member of the party leadership, filed a complaint against Bae with the central ethics committee. The party leadership argues that Bae distorted an opposing statement to Han Dong-hoon's expulsion as if it were the collective intent of the entire Seoul chapter.
Bae attended the ethics committee meeting held at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, and, after completing the explanation process, told reporters, "I have been running the Seoul chapter for about six months and am operating it together with the district committee heads through a democratic process." She added, "I conveyed that this disciplinary case will not simply end as the discipline of one person, but will cause all the committees preparing for the Seoul elections to come to a halt."
By contrast, the Seoul chapter's ethics committee on the 10th decided on "recommendation to leave the party" as a disciplinary measure against conservative YouTuber Ko Sung-kook. Ko is a YouTuber who runs "Ko Sung-kook TV," which has 1.34 million subscribers. On a recent broadcast, Ko said, "We should hang photos of Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo and former President Yoon Suk-yeol at party headquarters," sparking controversy. The Seoul chapter ethics committee decided on the discipline on the grounds that "Ko denied the history of the democratization movement."
Prior to this disciplinary process, the Seoul chapter appointed Kim Kyung-jin, head of the Dongdaemun-gu-eul district committee and classified as pro-Han, as chair of the disciplinary committee. After the central ethics committee expelled former leader Han and Kim Jong-hyuk, a former supreme council member seen as pro-Han, the city chapter filled the disciplinary chair with a pro-Han figure.
◇ "A conflict situation tied to nomination rights in Seoul for the June 3 local elections"
With local elections approaching, the conflict between the People Power Party central party and the Seoul chapter is closely tied to nomination rights in Seoul. Bae is classified as pro-Han but won the Seoul chapter chair election with the support of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon. Mayor Oh has publicly called for Jang Dong-hyeok to step down, fueling tensions. A People Power Party official said, "It can be seen that Bae is an obstacle to the Jang Dong-hyeok leadership exercising influence over the mayor of Seoul and nominations in the Seoul area."
Bae also told reporters that day, "What is concerning is the ethics committee making a decision to suspend my party membership, thereby halting en masse the nomination screening of the Seoul chapter, which is in the midst of preparing for the Seoul elections, and completely dissolving the organization we have built over six months." Bae added, "Nomination rights do not belong exclusively to the central party leadership; they belong to the public and citizens."
As several recent polls show Chong Won-o, the Democratic Party of Korea-affiliated head of Seongdong District, ahead of Mayor Oh, anxiety is growing among People Power Party lawmakers and candidates in Seoul. A People Power Party lawmaker with a constituency in Seoul said, "If we only fight among ourselves like this, there is no chance of winning in Seoul. What good are nomination rights if we lose everything?"