People Power Party Ethics Committee Reduced to Five Amid Intensifying Infighting... Kwon Youngjin Disciplinary Action in Spotlight

Another Neutral Committee Member Resigns
Approval Possible with Only Three Attendees
Leadership Discusses Urging Kwon Youngjin to Voluntarily Leave Party
"Consensus on Need for Highest Level of Discipline"

While Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, remains firm in his intention to discipline the pro-Han faction and other non-mainstream members, internal conflict within the Central Ethics Committee, which will review these disciplinary actions, is intensifying.

According to a People Power Party official on July 27, ahead of the Ethics Committee meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. that day, an additional neutral-leaning committee member tendered their resignation. As a result, the committee has been reduced from six to five members. Vice Chair Woo Jong-hwan is also expected to be absent due to personal commitments, so only three or four ethics committee members are likely to attend the meeting.

Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on July 27, 2026. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Since the Ethics Committee now consists of five members, a majority—meaning just three members—need to attend for disciplinary decisions to be valid. However, if the disciplinary process moves forward with only the minimum required members present, questions about its legitimacy are likely to arise. Vice Chair Woo stated during a phone call that “From now on, I will actively express my opinions.”

The Ethics Committee, which is tasked with handling what has been called a ‘disciplinary civil war,’ has been experiencing internal strife recently. In July alone, it convened two meetings to review over 60 disciplinary requests received before and after the June 3 local elections, but failed to reach a quorum to make any decisions. While disciplinary action guidelines were subsequently announced, these were also met with internal criticism as a “unilateral decision.”

On this day, Vice Chair Woo and committee member Hwang Kyung-sung issued a joint statement, demanding, “Chair Yoon Min-woo and committee member Jung Kyung-wook must publicly apologize for announcing disciplinary standards that serve as pledges of loyalty to the party leader,” and added, “Committee member Jung must choose between retaining his position as a party official or an ethics committee member.” Jung was appointed to the ethics committee after previously serving as the party’s spokesperson for media affairs.

Meanwhile, the controversy continues regarding Assemblyman Kwon Young-jin, who had a physical altercation with Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik over National Assembly standing committee assignments. Although Floor Leader Jeong declared, “I will set aside personal feelings and fulfill my responsibilities,” the party leadership discussed recommending Kwon voluntarily resign from the party in a closed Supreme Council meeting. Chief spokesperson Park Sung-hoon said, “There was a consensus among the entire leadership that the highest level of disciplinary action, including expulsion, is necessary.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.