People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok arrives with Supreme Council member Kim Min-su at an on-site supreme council meeting held in front of the fountain at Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae in Seoul on Friday. The two continued their criticism of the government while pointing out problems with the Democratic Party of Korea's push for a special prosecutor act targeting alleged manipulation of investigations and indictments under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. [Yonhap]
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok arrives with Supreme Council member Kim Min-su at an on-site supreme council meeting held in front of the fountain at Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae in Seoul on Friday. The two continued their criticism of the government while pointing out problems with the Democratic Party of Korea's push for a special prosecutor act targeting alleged manipulation of investigations and indictments under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. [Yonhap]

The People Power Party on Monday defended spending 205.97 million won ($143,000) on party leader Jang Dong-hyeok's 8-night, 10-day trip to the United States in April, saying the budget was kept to a minimum given high oil prices driven by the Iran war and broader inflation.

Chief spokesperson Park Sung-hoon made the remarks to reporters immediately after a supreme council meeting held in front of Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae, adding that the party had worked to reduce expenditures as much as possible. "Additional schedules were covered with personal funds," Park said.

Park cited the US trip budgets of previous party leaders as a benchmark. Former leader Kim Ki-hyun's visit in 2023 lasted five nights and six days and cost 218 million won, he said, while former leader Kim Moo-sung's 8-night, 10-day trip in 2015 is estimated to have cost around 239 million won.

The party also raised the overseas travel costs of former National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik. Park said a two-night, three-day trip to Japan by Woo in 2026 cost 317 million won.

Earlier Monday, the Chosun Ilbo reported, citing the party's accounting report submitted to the National Election Commission, that Jang and his delegation spent a total of 205.97 million won during their April 11–20 US visit.

The delegation included Jang, Supreme Council member Kim Min-su, and lawmakers Jo Jeong-hun, Kim Dae-sik and Kim Jang-gyeom. The trip came roughly two months before the June 3 local elections but drew criticism both inside and outside the party after the delegation failed to secure meetings with senior US government officials, prompting accusations that it had returned empty-handed.


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