Referral comes three days after ethics probe ordered
Party leadership expects faster-than-usual disciplinary proceedings
Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok on Sunday received the findings of an ethics audit into the conduct of supreme council member Rep. Choi Min-hee and ordered the case referred to the party's central ethics tribunal.
The Democratic Party announced through an official press notice issued under the party's public affairs office that Kim had been briefed on the results of the ethics audit team's investigation into Choi and had directed that the matter be transferred to the central ethics tribunal.
The ethics audit team, which reports directly to the party leader, submits its findings to the leader and may recommend disciplinary action to the ethics tribunal depending on the case. The team is understood to have forwarded a recommendation for disciplinary action to the tribunal in connection with this controversy, though the specific level of punishment sought has not been disclosed.
The referral came three days after Kim ordered an immediate ethics audit of Choi on Thursday, effectively placing Choi on track for full disciplinary proceedings.
The central ethics tribunal is composed of nine members, including its presiding judge, and party rules require that more than half of its seats be filled by outside figures.
Party leadership expects the tribunal to begin deliberations faster than usual, given the nature of the case.
The controversy stems from remarks Choi made in a group chat with constituents and local party members, in which Choi compared press photographers and videographers covering the National Assembly to "a pack of hyenas." Reports also emerged that Choi told a closed-door meeting in her constituency last month that President Lee Jae Myung had opposed the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol when Lee was Democratic Party leader, and had instead favored pushing for his resignation.
Choi subsequently issued repeated clarifications on Facebook and other platforms, saying that Lee "consistently advocated for and secured impeachment following the insurrection" and acknowledging that she "had been confused on the matter."
an@heraldcorp.com
