Ruling party lapses into turmoil on chief's suspension

Ruling People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok leaves a meeting room of the party in the National Assembly, Seoul, Friday, after attending an ethics committee meeting which suspended his party membership for six months over sexual bribery allegations. Joint Press Corps

Lee Jun-seok suspended from party activity for 6 months

By Nam Hyun-woo

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been mired in internal turmoil, after suspending the party membership of its Chairman Lee Jun-seok for six months over allegations of sexual bribery and a cover-up.

As the party faces a leadership vacuum less than 60 days after President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration in May, this is anticipated to deal a heavy blow not only to the ruling party but also to President Yoon and his administration, already reeling from declining job approval ratings.

On the morning of Friday, the PPP's ethics committee decided to suspend the party membership of the 37-year-old leader for six months after nearly eight hours of discussion. Lee has been hit with allegations that he received sexual services paid for by a businessman in 2013 and attempted to cover up his misdeeds.

The decision came 78 days after the party began deliberating whether to punish Lee.

Following the decision, PPP floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong told reporters that the suspension took effect immediately and he will be filling in as party chairman.

“This is very unfortunate for the party, and as the floor leader of the ruling party, I apologize to the public,” Kweon said. “Nothing has been decided so far, and we will prepare to overcome this challenge.”

Lee immediately resisted, saying that he will not step down during a radio interview with broadcaster KBS after the decision was made.

“The investigation on the allegations has yet to be completed, but I face a hefty punishment of a six-month suspension,” Lee said. “While there are plenty of cases pending at the ethics committee, it chose the case related to me and handed down the verdict even though the investigation is not done.”

He added that he will resort to possible measures to reverse the decision, such as requesting a reexamination or a court injunction.

People Power Party floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, right, speaks on his phone before the party's meeting at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

Though labeled with sexual bribery allegations, the suspension is interpreted as the outcome of a conflict between Lee and pro-Yoon lawmakers. Lee was at odds with President Yoon during the election campaign period and has been in conflict with the Yoon loyalist faction following Yoon's inauguration.

The pro-Yoon lawmakers have been criticizing Lee for being obsessed with politics for himself. Those lawmakers slammed Lee's proposal of forming “an innovation committee,” calling it a “private group for Lee.”

Lee has been brushing off their assertions, claiming Yoon's key associates among the pro-Yoon faction are behind the ethics committee's decision and he is being scapegoated.

The suspension is seen as a prelude to the collapse of Lee's chairmanship and the subsequent turmoil of a power struggle within the party.

Lee's term as the PPP chairman is set to expire next June. Since he was suspended from party activities until January, voices demanding Lee's resignation are expected to grow from within, citing the consequences of a leadership vacuum.

Among ruling party members, multiple scenarios are already emerging, such as forming an emergency committee to set up an interim chief who will lead the party until January.

The party's charter allows it to elect a new chairman six months before the incumbent chairman's term expires. In this case, the new chairman will have the right to nominate candidates for the next general election in 2024.

Otherwise, the party can hold a convention to elect a temporary chairman who will serve out the remainder of Lee's term. Pundits say this will provide greater stability to the party for now, but the temporary chairman will not have the nomination rights.

Reportedly, PPP heavyweights seeking chairmanship are already weighing the advantages and disadvantages of either scenario. Floor leader Kweon, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon are among them.

President Yoon Suk-yeol answers reporters' questions on his way into the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

As the ruling party is expected to get caught up in an internal power struggle, it is anticipated to deal a hefty blow to President Yoon's job approval rating, which will undermine the administration's momentum in handling state affairs.

President Yoon told reporters Friday he is “regretful as a member of the PPP,” but added, “it would be inappropriate for the president to comment on the matter.”

According to a Gallup Korea poll released Friday, Yoon's job approval rating declined for the fourth week straight to stand at 37 percent, down six percentage points from a week earlier. The poll surveyed 1,000 adults from Tuesday to Thursday, thus did not reflect Lee's suspension.

In the same survey, the PPP's support rate increased slightly to 41 percent from 40 percent from a week earlier. Further details of the survey are available at the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission's website.