Kim Han-seul, Chief Spokesperson: Warning to Choo Mi-ae and Bu Seung-chan is 'Ghost Disciplinary Action'... Democratic Party Called to Clarify

Amid controversy over whether a 'warning' against Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae and National Assembly Member Bu Seung-chan of the Democratic Party constitutes official disciplinary action, the People Power Party's Gyeonggi Province chapter criticized it as 'ghost disciplinary action' and urged the disclosure of constitutional and regulatory grounds and voting procedures.

According to political circles on the 22nd, the People Power Party's Gyeonggi Province chapter issued a commentary under the name of Chief Spokesperson Kim Han-seul, stating "The spokesperson says it is disciplinary action, while the working-level staff say it seems not to be" and criticized it as "the Democratic Party's bizarre ghost disciplinary action that makes firefighters cry twice."

Earlier, Democratic Party Spokesperson Jo Gye-won stated that the warning is not an emergency disciplinary action under party rules, but also explained that "it is a kind of disciplinary decision" and that the Supreme Council can decide on discipline.

On the other hand, a Democratic Party working-level official said "After working-level staff withdrew, discussions were held among Supreme Council members, so we could not confirm the actual voting procedure" and "It does not seem to be disciplinary action under the party constitution and rules."

Governor Choo's side reportedly did not receive a separate written notice.

In response, the People Power Party's Gyeonggi Province chapter issued a commentary under Chief Spokesperson Kim Han-seul's name, stating "Even Schrödinger's cat reaches a conclusion to one of two outcomes when the box is opened" and "The box that the Democratic Party produced is discipline when the spokesperson opens it, seems not to be discipline when working-level staff open it, and is a strange measure with not a single written sheet when the party members open it," pointing out the peculiarity.

The provincial party also raised questions about the disciplinary procedures based on the Democratic Party's Rules Article 7, "Ethics Tribunal Regulations."

Articles 12 and 13 of the party rules stipulate that the National Assembly Members and heads of local governments should have their disciplinary cases reviewed and decided by the central party's Ethics Tribunal, and Article 32 provides that, as an exception, the party chairman can directly impose emergency discipline with the approval of the Supreme Council.

Additionally, Article 16 specifies that a warning, one of the disciplinary measures, is "a disciplinary action that urges caution in written form."

Regarding this, Chief Spokesperson Kim stated "While saying it is not even emergency discipline, the Supreme Council gathers opinions through verbal warnings and explains it as official discipline, attempting to close the matter" and argued "This raises suspicion that they are trying to avoid the burden of formal discipline while only appeasing public opinion."

He further pointed out that while Democratic Party Chairman Kim Min-suk promised an apology and follow-up measures, it actually concluded with ambiguous results regarding whether formal disciplinary action was voted on and whether it would be recorded in official disciplinary records.

Chief Spokesperson Kim stated "An apology that is ambiguous about whether it is disciplinary action or not cannot gain sincerity" and demanded that the Democratic Party "clearly reveal to firefighters and the public whether this warning is based on which articles of the party constitution and rules, through what procedures it was decided, and how it stands regarding written orders and official disciplinary records."

He continued, "If the Democratic Party cannot provide clear grounds, what it did was merely a sleight of hand to evade public opinion."