A disciplinary request against lawmakers Bae Hyun-jin (right) and Park Jung-hoon for alleged misconduct and favoritism has been submitted to the ethics committee within the People Power Party. [Photo: People Power Party, Yonhap News]

A request for strict disciplinary action against lawmakers Bae Hyun-jin (Seoul City Chapter Chairperson) and Park Jung-hoon was submitted to the Central Ethics Committee on the 9th, citing continuous criticism of the People Power Party's leadership and allegations of unfair candidate nominations during the election process. The request was filed by 15,000 registered party members and citizens of the People Power Party.

According to the "Bae Hyun-jin and Park Jung-hoon Disciplinary Request" obtained by this newspaper, Rep. Bae Hyun-jin, despite holding the important position of Seoul City Chapter Chairperson, faces criticism for directly violating the party's election guidelines and fostering internal division.

Public Support for Independent Candidate Han Dong-hoon Over Official Candidate... "Clear Misconduct"

One of the core reasons for the disciplinary request is "public support for an independent candidate." In the by-election for the Buk-gu, Busan parliamentary seat, Rep. Bae repeatedly posted on social media in support of independent candidate Han Dong-hoon, despite the People Power Party having an official candidate.

After Han's victory, she posted a congratulatory message, "Thank you to the residents of Buk-gu, Busan, for sending Han Dong-hoon into the broad sea of conservatism," which is pointed out to have caused significant confusion in the party's election strategy.

Furthermore, she is accused of instigating division among supporters by continuously posting critical messages containing "resignation demands" and mocking remarks directed at party leader Jang Dong-hyuk and the leadership throughout the election period.

The request includes evidence of Rep. Bae's social media posts targeting the leadership, such as "The worst misconduct is all of Director Jang Dong-hyuk's choices" and "It's like seeing an avoidant boyfriend."

Citizen Protests Dismissed as 'Disturbance'... Allegations of 'Favoritism Cartel' in Songpa-gap

Rep. Bae's attitude towards the controversy over the poorly managed election process in her constituency, Songpa, also came under fire. Despite citizen protests due to the non-issuance of ballots and long waiting times during voting in the Songpa district, Rep. Bae is criticized for referring to these incidents as a "disturbance" on social media, rather than from the perspective of an infringement on democracy.

Instead, she allegedly used this as a tool for internal political conflict, stating, "It cannot be an eraser for the leadership of Jang Dong-hyuk's disastrous defeat in the local elections," which was noted as a violation of the duty to maintain dignity.

Notably, the disciplinary request deeply examines the "controversy over the fairness of the Seoul City Chapter's Nomination Management Committee operations," citing revelations by Seoul City Councilor Kim Gyu-nam. In a press conference, Councilor Kim denounced the "power-driven nomination structure," stating that "many acquaintances of Rep. Bae Hyun-jin, including her legal representative for injunctions and her alma mater professors, were included in the nomination committee, leading to its privatization."

During this process, Rep. Park Jung-hoon was also engulfed in strong suspicions. Allegations of "reward nominations" arose when a high-value political donation from the chairman of a certain company was allegedly passed to Rep. Bae and Rep. Park, after which an executive from the company was appointed as the director of Park's pledge promotion team, and he eventually received a "blind single nomination."

Councilor Kim also revealed that Rep. Park engaged in "abuse of power politics," such as influencing city administration by using civilians who lacked legal authority.

Violation of Party Constitution, Rules, and Ethics Code... "Strict Disciplinary Action Must Be Taken"

The proponents of the disciplinary request emphasized that these actions constitute serious violations of Article 6 (Party Member Obligations and Dignity Maintenance), Article 6-2 (Prohibition of Misconduct), and Ethics Rule 6 (Priority of Party Interests) of the People Power Party's Constitution and Rules.

The request concludes by strongly urging, "Individuals in responsible positions as members of parliament and the Seoul City Chapter Chairperson have undermined the party's honor and trust by prioritizing their personal political standing over the party's interests. We strongly urge the Central Ethics Committee to thoroughly investigate the facts and take strict disciplinary measures commensurate with the actions."