Han Dong-hoon texts PPP lawmaker under ethics probe: 'Stay strong, sunbae'

People Power Party lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae said Wednesday that he received an encouraging text message from independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon after the party's Central Ethics Committee decided to open disciplinary proceedings against him.

Appearing on KBS Radio that day, Cho was asked whether he had been in contact with Han. "After I held the press conference on Tuesday criticizing the ethics committee, he sent me a text saying, 'Stay strong, sunbae,'" Cho said. "I sent back a message expressing my gratitude. But regardless, aren't we comrades who together blocked the illegal Dec. 3 insurrection and emergency martial law?"

"We are apart right now, but our thinking is aligned. I can say that we are working together toward rebuilding the conservative camp," he added.

Cho also praised as "quite an excellent proposal" Han's stated intention to join the PPP in a filibuster this week if the ruling party attempts to pass an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act that would completely abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers during a plenary session of the National Assembly. "The PPP should give him the opportunity," Cho said. "If they don't, that itself would be grounds for disciplinary action."

On the question of Han's potential return to the PPP, Cho said it was likely "one of the reasons Jang Dong-hyeok is trying to hold on to the party leadership — and that is precisely why he is unfit to lead."

Regarding whether Jang should step down, Cho said senior lawmakers plan to meet during the last week of July to discuss the matter. "The specific date and the scope of who will attend have not been finalized, but if I receive an official invitation to participate, I intend to go and state my position clearly," he said.

Meanwhile, Cho and fellow lawmakers Kwon Young-jin and Jin Jong-oh — all three of whom had disciplinary proceedings opened against them by the ethics committee — have received formal notices of the proceedings but have yet to be notified of a date to appear and present their cases.