Representative Jang Dong-hyeok (left) and former representative Han Dong-hoon [Yonhap News] 

As the People Power Party’s Central Ethics Committee prepares to resume operations on the 6th following Representative Jang Dong-hyeok’s directive to discipline members for "damaging party interests," a state of volatile tension has been building within the party as of the 5th.

With the pro-Han (pro-Han Dong-hoon) faction, including those who supported independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon during the June 3 local elections, and other anti-Jang Dong-hyeok camps being discussed as potential targets, both Representative Jang’s side and his opponents appear ready for a confrontation.

Consequently, even the old party mainstream—the former pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Suk-yeol) faction—is voicing concerns, viewing Representative Jang’s "disciplinary politics" as a catalyst for chaos.

◇ Ethics Committee to Resume Tomorrow… Pro-Han Faction Tops Disciplinary List

The People Power Party’s Central Ethics Committee will hold a plenary meeting on the 6th of next month to deliberate on disciplinary proposals submitted by party members and others around the time of the June 3 local elections.

The primary targets for discipline are pro-Han lawmakers who accompanied Rep. Han on his Daegu schedule last March, including Reps. Kim Ye-ji, Ahn Sang-hoon, Jin Jong-oh, Jeong Seong-guk, Bae Hyun-jin, Woo Jae-jun, and Park Jeong-hun.

A leadership official told Yonhap News, "If we fail to discipline these actions, it will become a problem for the continuity and discipline of the party," adding, "It will be difficult for the ethics committee members to simply overlook it."

Another official explained that the party cannot ignore the demands of the hardcore support base, stating, "The weight of the party members' demands for disciplinary action is just as significant as the voices of lawmakers who say such actions should not be taken."

Possibilities of disciplinary action against members of the reform-oriented group "Alternatives and Future," who joined the pro-Han faction in publicly calling for Representative Jang's resignation, as well as Rep. Kim Jae-seob, who served as co-chairman of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s election committee, are also being discussed.

Previously, when faced with calls for his resignation following the local election defeat, Representative Jang retaliated in a YouTube broadcast last month by naming Reps. Kim Yong-tae, Kim Jae-seob, and Woo Jae-jun, characterizing them as individuals who "attack the leadership."

He also pointed out that three-term lawmaker Song Seok-jun and two-term lawmaker Lee Seong-kwon performed poorly in the local elections within their respective districts.

However, it is understood that the leadership has initially determined that Reps. Kim Yong-tae, Kim Jae-seob, and Woo Jae-jun, whom Representative Jang named, are not currently targets for discipline.

A key official emphasized to Yonhap News, "Representative Jang was merely expressing a principled concern regarding the attitude of these lawmakers, who seem to turn their guns inward rather than fighting the Democratic Party to cultivate an image of innovation," adding, "This is entirely separate from disciplinary action; we are not trying to punish political criticism."

Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik speaking at the floor strategy meeting [Yonhap News]

◇ Ethics Committee Expected to Reach a Conclusion Within the Month… Pro-Han Faction Warns of Strong Backlash

Given past disciplinary precedents, the Ethics Committee is expected to decide whether to impose disciplinary measures by the end of this month at the latest.

The committee is authorized to issue penalties including expulsion, recommendation to withdraw from the party, suspension of party membership, and warnings.

Previously, the Ethics Committee elected Gachon University professor Yoon Min-woo as the new Ethics Committee chair on January 6, and on the 13th of that month, decided to expel then-representative Han Dong-hoon over the so-called "party bulletin board scandal."

This decision was finalized by the Supreme Council on January 29.

The anti-Jang Dong-hyeok camp, including the pro-Han faction, is expected to react strongly if the Ethics Committee proceeds with actual disciplinary measures.

Rep. Han Dong-hoon immediately criticized the move on the 3rd, stating, "The people who should be taking responsibility and stepping down are using preposterous disciplinary actions to divert the public’s attention in order to survive the crisis," calling the situation "grotesque."

A pro-Han lawmaker told Yonhap News, "After the official election campaign for the local elections began on May 21, no lawmaker directly helped with Rep. Han’s campaign rallies," adding, "On what grounds would they discipline us? The disciplinary process itself has become a laughingstock."

Rep. Lee Seong-kwon, a coordinator for Alternatives and Future, appeared on MBC on the 2nd and criticized the move, saying, "Representative Jang’s fan cafe 'Mansahyeoktong' has reported some 30 lawmakers to the Ethics Committee. Representative Jang shortened the term of the previous Ethics Committee chair and installed the current one, creating a structure where they both file complaints and decide on the discipline."

Rep. Kim Yong-tae also said on the 3rd, "If we use disciplinary action to handle matters that should be resolved through politics, internal strife within the party will only grow."

Some are already criticizing the potential lack of fairness, arguing that if the Ethics Committee does not apply the same standards to the old mainstream—which tried to replace their presidential candidate from Kim Moon-soo to former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn during last year's election—or to a Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK)-based power faction figure who delivered a speech supporting an independent candidate, the issue of equity will arise.

Representative Jang Dong-hyeok and Supreme Council member Woo Jae-jun saluting the national flag [Yonhap News] 

◇ Old Mainstream Also Worried About Chaos from Disciplinary Politics… Potential for Further Judicial Intervention

As Representative Jang’s disciplinary politics enter the execution phase, Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik—the other half of the "two-top" leadership—and senior party members are making no effort to hide their discomfort.

Floor Leader Jeong appeared on KBS on the 2nd and stated, "We must be cautious from the initiation of disciplinary procedures to the final conclusion," adding, "The level of discipline must be one that resonates with many people."

Five-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won also told SBS on the 2nd that "it is undesirable to conduct politics through disciplinary measures," and five-term lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon and four-term lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo expressed similar positions.

Furthermore, there are concerns within the party that if the Ethics Committee proceeds with measures like expulsion, the courts might intervene again—as they have in the past—only fueling further chaos.

Previously, early this year, the Ethics Committee imposed a one-year suspension of party membership on pro-Han lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin for allegedly infringing on children's human rights by posting photos of a netizen’s family on social media, and issued a heavy penalty of "recommendation to withdraw" to former Supreme Council member Kim Jong-hyuk for remarks insulting the party leadership.

Subsequently, the court accepted the injunction requests filed by Rep. Bae and former Supreme Council member Kim to suspend the effect of the disciplinary actions, rendering them void.

Regarding this, a key leadership official emphasized to Yonhap News, "We must not give the signal that the judiciary is interfering in politics."