Request for additional data from the court... The court decision will likely take at least two more weeks.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Chae-rin = The hearing date for the application for temporary injunction filed by People Power Party lawmakers Seo Beom-soo and Jin Jong-oh in protest of the Central Ethics Committee's disciplinary action of 'suspension of party membership' was held on the 7th.
The two lawmakers argued over the ethics committee's disciplinary procedures and the appropriateness of the administration during an interrogation held at the Civil Agreement Division 51 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Chief Judge Kwon Seong-soo) on this day.
Rep. Jin's interrogation was held consecutively at 2:10 that day, and Rep. Seo's at 2:30.
The two lawmakers caused controversy last August when they made inappropriate comments at a National Assembly debate where victims of the so-called 'Busan roundhouse kick' incident were invited.
At that time, controversy arose when Rep. Seo said to Rep. Jin, who was sitting across from him, “Let’s try a roundhouse kick,” and Rep. Jin responded with the effect of “I use my hands better than my feet.”
Rep. Jin was also included in the grounds for disciplinary action for supporting independent candidate Han Dong-hoon in the June 3rd Busan Bukgap by-election.
Accordingly, on August 20, the People Power Party Ethics Committee suspended Rep. Seo from his party membership for 10 months and Rep. Jin from his party membership for two years.
During the interrogation on this day, Representative Jin's lawyer claimed that the punishment was based on incorrect facts, saying that the People Power Party never supported candidate Han Dong-hoon after registering the candidate.
He went on to say, “The disciplinary action was based solely on incorrect reports from some media outlets without investigating the minimum amount of evidence,” and added, “If disciplinary action is overused without even observing basic principles, there is a risk that the parish’s disciplinary action will become a procedure for eliminating political opponents.”
In response, a representative of the People's Power Party countered, saying, "We investigated the facts within the scope of normal ethics committee activities and disciplined them," and added, "Representatives Cho Kyung-tae and Kwon Young-jin, who were also disciplined, accepted the results."
Representative Jin also claimed, “The victim (of the Busan roundhouse kick incident) petitioned for leniency, but this was not taken into consideration and excessive disciplinary action was imposed.”
Rep. Jin added, "The remarks regarding the victim were not wise. Afterwards, we met in Busan and talked about various things. After that, we became a good relationship with him and we are still in contact to this day."
Representative Seo Beom-soo's lawyer argued that the disciplinary action was excessive, saying, "If you look at the disciplinary cases filed over the past few years, those who harassed the Jeju April 3 Incident or the May 18 Democratization Movement were only disciplined for three months from their party membership, even though the victims demanded severe punishment."
He said, "Unfortunately, all of those who have been disciplined so far are non-party factionalists, and those for whom disciplinary action has not been initiated are party factionalists." He added, "The party inflated the case and punished it for the purpose of eliminating political opponents and purging opponents."
Rep. Seo Beom-soo said, "I am sorry to the victims and their families who suffered damage due to the slip of the tongue," and added, "I think excessive things, such as procedural flaws, are emerging as the Ethics Committee weeds out those who criticize the party faction."
The court requested that additional materials related to the disciplinary process be submitted by the 21st to determine whether the ethics committee's disciplinary process was appropriate.
The court said, “We will make a decision as soon as the materials are submitted.” As the court requests additional data, it is expected to take at least two more weeks for the court to make a decision.
If the Ethics Committee's disciplinary action is confirmed, Rep. Jin's political life will be in jeopardy as his ability to run as a People Power Party candidate in the April 2028 general election, which is about a year and a half away, will be limited.
Rep. Seo will suffer a fatal injury as his position as chairman of the Ulsan City Party Committee, which he took office in August, will continue to be suspended, and his position as chairman of the Ulsan and Ulju Party Committee will also be in jeopardy.
Previously, the court decided to cite all applications for provisional injunctions filed last March by Rep. Bae Hyun-jin and former Supreme Council member Kim Jong-hyuk of the pro-Han Dong-hoon faction, asking to stop the disciplinary action received from the People Power Party's Ethics Committee.
