PPP ethics committee suspends membership rights of 4 lawmakers

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in South Korea took disciplinary action against four of its incumbent lawmakers on Thursday, suspending their membership rights with significant implications for the 2028 general elections. The PPP's ethics committee imposed penalties ranging from two to six months, effectively barring three members from running on the PPP ticket in the upcoming election.

Cho Kyung-tae, a representative, faced a two and a half year suspension, preventing him from seeking election in the April 2028 polls. His colleagues, Jin Jong-oh, Kwon Young-jin, and Suh Bum-soo, received two year, one and a half year, and six month suspensions respectively. The suspensions are a direct consequence of their actions, which put them in conflict with PPP leader Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok.

Cho was accused of making unauthorized phone calls to lawmakers from other parties, aiming to block Rep. Park Duk-hyum from becoming deputy speaker of the National Assembly. Kwon Young-jin was cited for physically grabbing PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig by the collar during a protest over parliamentary committee assignments. Jin was penalized for supporting an independent candidate, Han Dong-hoon, in Busan's local elections, despite the PPP fielding its own candidate.

Lastly, Suh Bum-soo was punished for suggesting a "spin kick" gesture to a female victim in a high-profile assault case involving a man who struck her with a similar motion.