“Penalty Points for Causing Trouble,” Kim Gi-hyeon Warns Members on Words and Actions Tarnishing the Party Image

People Power Party leader Kim Gi-hyeon (right) speaks at a meeting of the party’s Supreme Council at the National Assembly on April 3. Bak Min-gyu, Senior Reporter

People Power Party (PPP) leader Kim Gi-hyeon spoke on the recent controversy triggered by a series of inappropriate remarks by senior members of the party on April 6. He said, “As the party leader, I am giving you a strict warning,” and announced, “From this moment onwards, if anyone engages in words and actions that embarrass the party and tarnish our image, then regardless of his position, I will exercise the authority granted the party leader according to the party’s constitution and regulations even more strictly.”

Kim made the statement in a meeting of the party’s Supreme Council at the National Assembly Thursday morning. He mentioned how he was sorry to the people and party members and how he felt a very heavy responsibility, because the disgraceful controversy seemed to have weakened the party’s determination for change.

Kim Gi-hyeon said, “We stated that a member should not engage in words or actions that undermine the party’s reputation or that lies distant from public sentiment in the ethical rules, which one must abide by as a member of the People Power Party.” He went on to mention that despite such rules, a string of comments had been made recently by major figures who led the party and described those comments as failing to meet the expectations of party members and the public. He said, “We cannot let such incidents be repeated any longer,” and warned that if anyone made comments or actions that tarnished the party’s reputation, then regardless of the status of the party member in question, he would strictly exercise his authority as party leader.

Kim specifically explained that he would organize the ethical committee as soon as possible and establish strict ethical discipline. He also said that he would give penalty points to members who caused trouble with words and actions that went against public sentiment in future qualification reviews. The PPP leader said that the party was facing an emergency at present and said, “We will hold anyone who interferes with our victory in the parliamentary elections strictly responsible.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Cho Su-jin, a member of the party’s Supreme Council came under fire for presenting solutions that the public could not relate to when she said, “The problem of rice surplus is a sad reality, and we must discuss the Eat a Whole Bowl of Rice campaign,” and “There are a lot of women who don’t eat rice to lose weight, but rice actually has fewer calories than other foods.” On April 4, Kim Jae-won, another Supreme Council member stopped all public activities after he stirred controversy with remarks suggesting that Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon unified the right wing and describing April 3 as an anniversary with a low status.