Park Jeong-hoon: If Han Dong-hoon 'fabricated disciplinary action' is confirmed, Jang Dong-hyuk should face criminal punishment

Rep. Park Jeong-hoon of the People Power Party argued on the 13th that party chief Jang Dong-hyuk would be subject to criminal punishment if allegations of "fabricated disciplinary action" (discipline manufactured differently from actual procedures) against independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and others are confirmed as true. Speaking in a radio interview with MBC that morning, Park said, "Violating party rules and abusing one's authority means an internal party investigation and legal consequences cannot be avoided."

The allegations were raised by Hwang Kyung-sung, a member of the People Power Party's ethics committee. On the 11th, Hwang claimed, "I learned of the entire scheme of the ethics committee's 'fabricated disciplinary actions,' from the expulsion of Rep. Han Dong-hoon last January to the disciplinary action against Rep. Jin Jong-oh in August, and I have reviewed the supporting evidence." The day before, Professor C, who was a party ethics committee member at the time of Han's expulsion, told the media in a phone interview that his communications with Jang Dong-hyuk and then-ethics committee chairman Yoon Min-woo constituted evidence of the fabrication. Hwang and Professor C have yet to release evidence such as call records, and Professor C is considering making them public around next week.

Rep. Park said that if the allegations prove true, it would be difficult for Jang to remain party leader. "He suffered a crushing defeat in the local elections and it was hard for him to hold onto the party leadership. But he pushed his political agenda forward by using the position he held," Park noted, adding, "The problem arose in the process of removing his biggest rivals."

Meanwhile, Jang demanded that Hwang appear before the Supreme Council to present his evidence, but Hwang has refused, saying he would give Jang until this week to rectify the situation himself.