Park Jeong-ha says party leadership may be singling out Kwon Young-jin to silence dissent

People Power Party lawmaker Park Jeong-ha said Tuesday that the party leadership may be making an example of Rep. Kwon Young-jin to send a message that speaking out against the leadership will not be tolerated.

Appearing on MBC Radio that day, Park said the dispute between Kwon and floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik "could have been resolved more smoothly, in a more political way," adding that the leadership seemed to be singling Kwon out to warn others against voicing criticism.

Earlier, Kwon had reportedly confronted Jeong at his office to protest the criteria used for committee assignments in the second half of the National Assembly session, raising his voice and grabbing Jeong by the collar. The party's ethics committee launched disciplinary proceedings against Kwon on Monday.

"Does it really have to come to talk of expulsion or demanding someone quit the party?" Park said, arguing the matter should be discussed more thoroughly at a general assembly of lawmakers before any action is taken.

On Kwon's resignation from his posts as head of the Daegu chapter and as steering member of the Public Administration and Security Committee, Park said Kwon had already apologized directly and that there were still many ways he could express remorse going forward, adding that it was worth waiting to see how he would act.

Park said the ethics committee could impose discipline or the general assembly could weigh in, and that Kwon should be held accountable at a level he could accept. "Pushing someone out with talk of expulsion or demanding they leave — does that fit the principle of proportionality when it comes to shaping the party's standing and image?" he said.

On Rep. Jo Gyeong-tae, Park said the case was "somewhat open to debate." Jo was referred to the ethics committee after allegedly calling lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea and other parties during a plenary session vote for the National Assembly vice speaker, urging them to vote against Rep. Park Deok-heum for the position.

"After the party's internal primary was over, he refused to accept the result and apparently communicated with Democratic Party lawmakers," Park said, adding that the appropriate level of discipline would need to be assessed once it was determined.

On Rep. Jin Jong-oh, Park said it was necessary to first confirm whether there was direct evidence or whether Jin had offered his own explanation. "We need to hear his account, and we have to see how the ethics committee handles it and at what level before we can judge whether it is excessive," he said.

Jin faces disciplinary action for allegedly supporting independent candidate Han Dong-hoon in the Busan Buk-gap by-election — including securing accommodation in Buk-gu, Busan — despite his own party fielding a candidate in the race.