Ruling People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok leaves a meeting room of the party in the National Assembly, Seoul, Friday, after attending an ethics committee meeting which suspended his party membership for six months over sexual bribery allegations. Joint Press Corps

Lee Jun-seok suspended from party activity for 6 months

By Nam Hyun-woo

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been mired in internal turmoil, after suspending the party membership of its Chairman Lee Jun-seok for six months over allegations of sexual bribery and a cover-up.

As the party faces a leadership vacuum less than 60 days after President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration in May, this is anticipated to deal a heavy blow not only to the ruling party but also to President Yoon and his administration, already reeling from declining job approval ratings.

On the morning of Friday, the PPP's ethics committee decided to suspend the party membership of the 37-year-old leader for six months after nearly eight hours of discussion. Lee has been hit with allegations that he received sexual services paid for by a businessman in 2013 and attempted to cover up his misdeeds.

The decision came 78 days after the party began deliberating whether to punish Lee.

Following the decision, PPP floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong told reporters that the suspension took effect immediately and he will be filling in as party chairman.

"This is very unfortunate for the party, and as the floor leader of the ruling party, I apologize to the public," Kweon said. "Nothing has been decided so far, and we will prepare to overcome this challenge."

Lee immediately resisted, saying that he will not step down during a radio interview with broadcaster KBS after the decision was made.

"The investigation on the allegations has yet to be completed, but I face a hefty punishment of a six-month suspension," Lee said. "While there are plenty of cases pending at the ethics committee, it chose the case related to me and handed down the verdict even though the investigation is not done."

He added that he will resort to possible measures to reverse the decision, such as requesting a reexamination or a court injunction.