People Power Party defends leader's US trip cost as 'minimal'

The People Power Party has defended the reported 203.8 million won (approximately $147,000 USD) spent on its leader Jang Dong-hyuk's recent 8-day trip to the United States, asserting that the expenses were kept to a minimum.

Responding to a report by Chosun Ilbo, which cited the party's accounting records submitted to the National Election Commission, the party's senior spokesperson, Park Sung-hoon, stated that the expenditure was the lowest possible, even considering the current high oil prices due to the Iran conflict and general inflation.

Park provided comparisons to previous party leaders' trips. He noted that former leader Kim Ki-hyun's 5-day trip in 2023 cost 218 million won, while Kim Moo-sung's 8-day visit in 2015 is estimated to have cost 239 million won. Jang's delegation included Supreme Council member Kim Min-soo and lawmakers Cho Jung-hoon, Kim Dae-sik, and Kim Jang-gyeom.

The party's defense aims to counter criticism regarding the cost of official travel, emphasizing fiscal responsibility in the face of economic challenges.