The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Guide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea

  • 3

    Court rejects arrest warrant for opposition leader Lee over corruption charges

  • 5

    Korea sees record-low births in July

  • 7

    Royal palaces in Seoul offer free access during Chuseok holiday

  • 9

    Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District

  • 11

    Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games

  • 13

    Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth

  • 15

    Teen swimmer Lee Eun-ji shrugs off freak injury to end quarter-century drought in pool

  • 17

    Top prosecutor vows to seek due punishment for Lee through further probe

  • 19

    Samsung SDI to spend $1.97 bil. on 2nd joint US battery plant with Stellantis

  • 2

    Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday

  • 4

    INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting

  • 6

    N. Korea decides to expel US soldier Travis King over border crossing

  • 8

    Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant

  • 10

    DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November

  • 12

    Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war

  • 14

    Defense ministry launches project to find families of unidentified fallen Korean War soldiers

  • 16

    DPK hails court's rejection of Lee's arrest, demands Yoon's apology

  • 18

    Finance minister expects Korea's exports to rebound as early as October

  • 20

    Travis King in US custody after expulsion by N. Korea: Washington officials

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Fri, September 29, 2023 | 03:11
Politics
Ruling party suspends leader's party membership over sexual bribery scandal
Posted : 2022-07-08 08:13
Updated : 2022-07-08 10:24
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
                                                                                                 People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok leaves after attending the party's ethics committee, held over allegations of sexual bribery and cover-up, at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps
People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok leaves after attending the party's ethics committee, held over allegations of sexual bribery and cover-up, at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) suspended the party membership of leader Lee Jun-seok for six months Friday over allegations of sexual bribery and a cover-up, a decision that is expected to unseat him as party chairman, throw the party into confusion and deepen an intraparty power struggle.

The PPP's ethics committee delivered the verdict after a near eight-hour meeting over allegations that Lee received sexual services paid for by a businessman seeking his influence in 2013 and attempted to cover up the wrongdoing earlier this year after the allegations surfaced.

Lee, who has pleaded innocence, said he will not step down as party chairman and will take all possible measures to reverse the ethics panel's decision, including filing for a court injunction and requesting a reexamination.

"I have no intention to do so," Lee said on KBS radio when asked if he would step down.

The decision represents the biggest crisis yet for Lee, who sensationally rose to the PPP chairmanship last year amid hopes the young, Harvard-educated politician would resuscitate the then moribund conservative party. He was the first person in his 30s to take the helm of a major political party in South Korea.

Under Lee, the PPP won March's presidential election and June's nationwide local elections.

Ever since taking over as leader, however, Lee has constantly been at odds with key party members considered close to President Yoon Suk-yeol, who have been collectively dubbed "Yoonhaekgwan" ― an abbreviation of "Yoon Suk-yeol's core associates."

Lee has claimed the ethics committee meeting was political machinations engineered by Yoonhaekgwan.

"Why haven't I received congratulations and proper treatment from anyone even after winning the March 9 presidential election?" Lee told reporters Thursday night ahead of his attendance at the committee meeting, almost breaking into tears.

Ruling party lapses into turmoil on chief's suspension
Ruling party lapses into turmoil on chief's suspension
2022-07-08 16:16  |  Politics
Yoon expresses regret over suspension of PPP leader's party membership
Yoon expresses regret over suspension of PPP leader's party membership
2022-07-08 10:28  |  Politics

While a suspension in party membership is the second-lowest level of action in the PPP's four-tier disciplinary system, the decision is expected to deal a major blow not only to Lee but also to the ruling party that won the presidential election in a remarkably close race.

President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed regret, saying he feels shame as one of the PPP members.

"As I've always said, I don't think it's appropriate for the president to comment on party affairs. ... I look forward to our party members coming together to quickly overcome the difficult situation," Yoon told reporters hours after the decision was announced.

PPP's floor leader Kweon Seong-dong apologized to the people over the turmoil.

"This is very unfortunate for the party," he said during a party meeting. "The party has faced a serious crisis just four months after the presidential election victory and one month after winning the local elections. It is a duty of party members, including myself, to overcome confusion and heal the wounds."

Under the party charter, Lee can file an appeal against the ethics committee's decision within 10 days. But there are widespread views that even if he does so, the panel is unlikely to reverse the decision.

In the absence of Lee, floor leader Kweon will play the role of an acting chairman. The PPP could also seek to hold a national convention to elect a new leader or form a collective "emergency leadership committee."

The scandal has persistently dogged Lee since Hover Lab, a far right-wing YouTube channel, first raised the sexual bribery allegations in December. The channel raised fresh allegations months later that Lee sent an aide to the person accusing him of sexual bribery to obtain a statement denying the allegations in exchange for a 700 million-won ($538,710) investment promise.

The ethics committee suspended the aide's party membership for the next two years.

The ethics committee said its decision to suspend Lee's party membership was for causing injury to the party's reputation, adding that suspicions of him receiving sexual services had not been considered.

The committee's decision is expected to reshape the party's power structure at a time when Lee is embroiled in a power struggle over party leadership with a pro-Yoon faction of PPP lawmakers.

Even if Lee accepts the decision and temporarily leaves the party, it could spur a fresh round of power struggle among party members fighting to clinch party leadership.

Apart from the PPP's internal disciplinary process, police are separately investigating the allegations. (Yonhap)

 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1Guide to Chuseok celebrations across KoreaGuide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea
2Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday
3Korea sees record-low births in July Korea sees record-low births in July
4Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant
5Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District
6DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November
7Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games
8Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war
9Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth
10Defense ministry launches project to find families of unidentified fallen Korean War soldiers Defense ministry launches project to find families of unidentified fallen Korean War soldiers
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] With '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting
2Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene
3[INTERVIEW] ONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince' INTERVIEWONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'
4Kep1er unveils 'Magic Hour' with fresh perspective on love Kep1er unveils 'Magic Hour' with fresh perspective on love
5K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group