PPP holds ethics committee meeting to review disciplinary measures against lawmakers
Jang Dong-hyeok, center, leader of the main opposition People Power Party, attends a meeting of the party's Supreme Council at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) held an ethics committee meeting Monday to review possible disciplinary measures against its lawmakers, including those aligned with former party leader Han Dong-hoon.
The closed-door meeting, the committee's first since the June 3 local elections, was held at the party's headquarters to review disciplinary requests submitted by party members.
Among those expected to face disciplinary review are PPP lawmakers closely aligned with Han who accompanied the former party leader on a visit to the southeastern city of Daegu ahead of the local elections.
According to party officials, the leadership views those lawmakers as having effectively supported Han, who ran as an independent and won the parliamentary by-election in the Buk-A constituency in Busan against other candidates, including the PPP's Park Min-shik.
Those who have publicly called for the resignation of PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok are also expected to face disciplinary review.
"Those found to have committed serious acts against the party should be permanently barred from rejoining the party, even if it requires revising the party's constitution and regulations," Jang said during an earlier meeting of the party's Supreme Council, according to PPP spokesperson Park Sung-hoon.
Under the party's rules, the ethics committee can impose disciplinary measures ranging from warnings and suspension of party membership to recommendations to leave the party and expulsion.