Jang Donghyuk Calls on Hwang Gyeongseong to Attend Supreme Council; Hwang: "I Will Not Attend"

Jang Donghyuk challenges Hwang: "What exactly was manipulated?"
Hwang pushes back again in follow-up statement on Nov. 12

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, called on Central Ethics Committee member Hwang Gyeongseong, who had raised allegations that the party’s Central Ethics Committee manipulated disciplinary proceedings, to attend a party Supreme Council meeting on November 12. “Don’t throw a bomb and run away to hide. If you have nothing to be ashamed of, come out before the press and give a briefing,” he said. Hwang, however, said he would not attend. He also said he had met or spoken by phone with Jang privately.

Appearing on “Uncomfortable Yeouido,” a JoongAng Ilbo YouTube program, that day, Jang said, “If there was manipulation, as Hwang claims, he should openly explain what was manipulated.” He added, “If Hwang attends, whether tomorrow or any other day, we’ll call him to the Supreme Council meeting and verify the claims.” He also said, “What exactly was manipulated? Present the evidence and make your position clear.”

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk delivers opening remarks at a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on the 12th.

The previous day, Hwang said in a statement that he had secured evidence related to his allegation that the Ethics Committee manipulated the process of deciding to expel independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and People Power Party lawmakers, including Jin Jong-oh, who belong to the pro-Han faction. In response, lawmakers from the pro-Han faction, including Han, and some party members criticized the leadership, called for those responsible to be held accountable, and demanded Jang’s resignation.

Jang retorted, “The essence of the party bulletin board case, which led to Han’s expulsion, will soon be revealed through the investigation results. What are they saying was manipulated?” He added, “Hwang served as an ethics committee member after being appointed by the party, and he himself took part in that decision. He should act responsibly.” Jang also said he had never spoken with or met Hwang in person.

Hwang issued a separate statement that day, saying, “I hear the People Power Party Supreme Council is summoning me to investigate the facts.” He added, “However, I decided to give the party leader and (Yoon Min-woo) Ethics Committee Chair until the end of this week to apologize and correct the disciplinary action themselves. Therefore, I will not attend the Supreme Council meeting.”

Hwang retorted, “If the selection of key disciplinary targets and the severity of their punishments were decided externally and conveyed to the committee, and the disciplinary decisions were finalized after being drafted in consultation with and coordination by an outside administrator, leaving the Ethics Committee to serve as a mere rubber stamp, then that is a manipulated disciplinary action.” He also said he had spoken with Jang by phone and dined with him privately, and released related photos as evidence.

Meanwhile, regarding calls for Han to be reinstated in the party, Jang drew a line, saying, “Han was expelled over the party bulletin board case. I expelled him. There’s no reason for an alliance or reunification.” He said, “The party bulletin board case was a criminal act. It wasn’t simply a matter of posting comments. The content was immoral and manipulated public opinion.”

Asked about Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s recent remarks in a media interview on the need to transition to an emergency committee system, Jang said, “If he knew the intent behind the question, was it really appropriate for him to answer that way? If he knew and answered anyway, then he either shared the question’s line of thinking, had the same wish, or had the same intent.”

Jang said, “Mayor Oh kept bringing up internal party issues, but I said nothing. And when I was acquitted in the second trial, he backed calls for me to abandon an appeal.” He added, “But the timing and manner in which he commented on internal party issues, as well as the assumptions behind them—in every respect, none of it helps the party at all. Given the timing, it’s deeply regrettable.”

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