Kim Han-seul, People Power Party Spokesperson: Warning to Choo Mi-ae and Boo Seung-chan is 'Ghost Discipline'...Calls on Democratic Party to Clarify

Amid controversy over whether the 'warning' measures against Choo Mi-ae, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, and Rep. Boo Seung-chan of the Democratic Party constitute official discipline, the People Power Party's Gyeonggi Province branch has criticized the measures as 'ghost discipline' and urged disclosure of the basis in party regulations and voting procedures.

According to political circles on the 22nd, the People Power Party's Gyeonggi Province branch released a commentary under the name of Chief Spokesperson Kim Han-seul, stating "The spokesman says it's discipline, while working-level staff say it doesn't appear to be" and criticized it as "the Democratic Party's bizarre ghost discipline that makes the firefighters cry twice."

Previously, Democratic Party Spokesperson Cho Gye-won clarified that the warning was not an emergency discipline under party regulations, but explained it as "a type of disciplinary decision" and said the Supreme Council could make such a disciplinary determination.

On the other hand, a Democratic Party working-level official said "After working-level staff withdrew, the Supreme Council members discussed the matter among themselves, so we could not confirm the actual voting procedures" and "It doesn't appear to be discipline under party constitution and regulations."

Governor Choo's side is also reportedly not to have received a separate written statement.

In response, the People Power Party's Gyeonggi Province branch released commentary under the name of Chief Spokesperson Kim Han-seul, stating "Even Schrödinger's cat reaches one conclusion when you open the box" and "The box presented by the Democratic Party is one where it becomes discipline when the spokesman opens it, appears not to be discipline when working-level staff open it, and becomes a peculiar disposition with not a single piece of paper when the party in question opens it."

The Gyeonggi Province branch also raised questions about the disciplinary procedures based on Democratic Party Regulation No. 7 "Ethics Arbitration Regulations."

Articles 12 and 13 of party regulations stipulate that the Central Party's Ethics Arbitration Committee shall examine and vote on discipline for National Assembly members and local government heads, and Article 32 stipulates that, as an exception, the Party Chair can directly impose emergency discipline through a vote by the Supreme Council.

Additionally, Article 16 specifies that a warning, one of the disciplinary measures, is "a disciplinary measure that issues a written caution."

Chief Spokesperson Kim stated regarding this "If it's not emergency discipline, but the Supreme Council reaches agreement on an oral warning and explains it as official discipline while trying to conclude the matter, this raises suspicion of trying to avoid the burden of formal discipline while only placating public opinion."

He went on to point out that Democratic Party Chair Kim Min-suk promised an apology and follow-up measures, but in reality drew conclusions that are unclear about whether formal disciplinary resolutions were made and whether official disciplinary records would be maintained.

Chief Spokesperson Kim stated "An apology that is ambiguous about whether it is discipline or not cannot gain sincerity" and urged "Make clear what article and paragraph of party constitution and regulations this warning is based on, through what procedures it was voted on, and what happens regarding written disposition and official disciplinary records before the firefighters and the people."

He further argued "If the Democratic Party cannot present clear grounds, what they did was merely sleight of hand to evade public opinion."