Jang Dong-hyuk's 'personalization' of the party escalates with heavy sanctions on critics

Internal conflict within South Korea's ruling People Power Party has intensified after the ethics committee imposed heavy disciplinary measures on four incumbent lawmakers, suspending their party memberships. The decision on August 20th means these lawmakers will be ineligible for nominations in the upcoming 2028 general election, effectively sidelining them.

The sanctioned quartet, Cho Kyeong-tae, Jin Jong-oh, Kwon Young-se, and Seo Beom-soo, are all known critics of party leader Jang Dong-hyuk. Cho had demanded Jang's resignation over his handling of local election defeats, while Kwon and Seo were part of a younger faction calling for Jang's ouster. Jin, though aligned with Jang's faction, also faces suspension.

While acknowledging that some actions by these lawmakers, such as allegedly requesting the defeat of a party-backed candidate or physically confronting a party whip, are unacceptable, critics argue the disciplinary measures lack fairness. They point to the ethics committee's inaction regarding disciplinary complaints filed against party loyalists, including one involving controversial remarks about the Gwangju Uprising. The party leadership has reportedly intervened to prevent any review of these loyalists.

Furthermore, the ethics committee, largely composed of individuals seen as loyal to Jang, faces accusations of bias. "The purpose of the disciplinary action is to remove political rivals," one senior party member commented, questioning the legitimacy of the committee's decisions. Jang's proposal to replace all party chapter leaders through a party member vote has also drawn suspicion, as many current chapter leaders are critical of him. Critics fear Jang intends to fill these positions with his own supporters, further consolidating his control over the party and pushing it towards what they describe as "personalization."