Gangnam District Council Tightens Disciplinary Standards, Allowing Expulsion After Two Drunk-Driving Offenses

Outside Positions and Meeting Attendance Published on Website

The Gangnam District Council in Seoul is tightening disciplinary standards for council members, including allowing the expulsion of members who drive under the influence of alcohol two or more times. It will also publish information on members' outside positions and the number of days they attend meetings on its website.

Gangnam-gu Council member Bae Geunhui, the lead sponsor, explains the proposed rules on disciplinary action against members of the Gangnam-gu Council. Provided by the Gangnam-gu Council.

The Gangnam District Council Steering Committee, chaired by Kang Hyunseop, reviewed and approved on October 21 a full revision to the “Ordinance on the Code of Ethics and Rules of Ethical Conduct for Members of the Gangnam District Council” and a proposed set of rules on disciplinary actions for council members. Both proposals were sponsored by Councilmember Bae Geunhui and will receive final consideration at the second plenary session on October 28.

The proposed rules specify the grounds for disciplinary action. These include violations of the duty to report outside positions and the duty to maintain dignity; drunk driving; sexual violence, prostitution, and sexual harassment; improper solicitation; conflicts of interest; and the use of official secrets or undisclosed information. The level of discipline will be determined by considering the type and severity of the violation, the degree of intent or negligence, and its social impact.

The council said the standards for drunk driving are stricter than those in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's model rules. If a member drives under the influence two or more times, the council may vote to expel the member or suspend them from attending meetings for up to 30 days. Expulsion, the most severe penalty, will apply if a member causes a fatal accident while driving under the influence or fails to take the measures required under Article 54, Paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Act after an accident.

The disciplinary process has also been revised. Once disciplinary action is requested, the council must decide whether to impose a penalty within three months. Unless there are special circumstances, the plenary session will respect the results of the Ethics Special Committee's review. Once a disciplinary action is approved, the council will publish the member's name, the date of the decision, a summary of the grounds for discipline, and the type of penalty on its website for at least seven days. However, information that could identify victims, complainants, or witnesses will not be disclosed.

The full revision to the ordinance updates the overall ethical standards. It covers reporting and disclosure of outside positions, restrictions on profit-making activities, the duty to attend meetings, and ethics reviews. Information on members' outside positions will be published on the website at least once a year, excluding information unrelated to the purpose of disclosure, such as dates of birth and personal contact details. The number of days each member attends meetings will also be published. Members whose outside work directly affects the district's work will not be assigned to the relevant standing committee.

Kang Hyunseop, chair of the steering committee. Provided by the council.

Councilmember Bae Geunhui said, “As representatives of Gangnam-gu residents, district council members are expected to meet a higher standard of ethics and accountability than the general standards for public officials. These ordinance and rule revisions clarify the standards members must follow and improve the system so that objective and predictable disciplinary standards can be applied to violations.”

Steering Committee Chair Kang Hyunseop said, “As residents' expectations of the 10th Gangnam District Council have risen, the standards of ethics and accountability expected of its members must also become stricter.”

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