- Disciplinary politics? It was just a review of requests... We shouldn't make a mountain out of a molehill
- Absence of Ethics Committee members was due to personal reasons... Not because they felt burdened
- Permanent ban on rejoining the party? A principled stance to establish party discipline
- Cho Kyoung-tae, who attacked his own party because he couldn't accept defeat, committed an act of party betrayal
- Disciplining the pro-Han faction? We must meet the public's expectations... Oppose expanding the frontline
- It is also not right to discipline someone just because they demanded the party leader's resignation
- The media is demanding resignation as a unified team; the more they do, the more he will hold on
- We must practice broad-minded politics... I will convey my opinion on 'unity' to Jang Dong-hyeok
- Jang Dong-hyeok going to Jamsil? Party leaders originally spend more time outside Yeouido
- Encounter with Han Dong-hoon? We didn't talk about party affairs... It's not the time to rush
- The mainstream consensus within the party is that it is not the time for Jang Dong-hyeok to step down
- Contact with the presidential office? Communicating through various channels... We will resolve pending issues

■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5 MHz, 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM)
■ Date: July 8, 2026 (Wednesday)
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Representative Kim Dae-sik of the People Power Party (Head of the Special Advisory Group for the Party Leader)

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Within the People Power Party, voices of criticism are rising against the leadership of Jang Dong-hyeok over internal disciplinary issues. We will talk with Representative Kim Dae-sik of the People Power Party to see how he views this situation. Hello.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Hello.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Representative, are you still serving as the head of the special advisory group for the party leader?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Yes, I am still serving as the head of the advisory group.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Then, do you think Leader Jang is doing well with the help of this advisory group? Right now, there are talks of disciplinary actions and him going outside the parliament. Looking at this morning's newspapers, they are asking if this is "out-of-parliament politics" on top of "disciplinary politics."

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I think the media got ahead of themselves regarding "disciplinary politics" and made it front-page news, making a mountain out of a molehill.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Talk like 50 people being put up for disciplinary action, and so on.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Requests for disciplinary action can come in for 100 people, not just 50. What our citizens want is not disciplinary politics. Their demand is for us to practice politics of harmony, unity, and service, and to please stop fighting among ourselves. The disciplinary process hasn't even started yet; it's just being reviewed because the requests were received. But the media is making a huge fuss and front-page news out of it, and I wish they wouldn't exaggerate it so much.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Let's talk about yesterday first. Yesterday was the first meeting of the Ethics Committee. Since party members requested disciplinary action, it's like looking into a case because a complaint or accusation was filed, to use a police analogy.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Yes, because a complaint was filed.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Looking at some media reports yesterday, a few members of the Ethics Committee were absent, so the meeting did not go well. There were analytical articles suggesting that perhaps the ethics committee members also felt burdened. Is this true?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I don't know exactly why they didn't show up, but it's rare for everyone to attend any meeting, isn't it? They could have been absent due to personal circumstances. But as long as a majority is present, the meeting proceeds, so we should view it that way rather than saying they felt burdened. If they felt burdened, they shouldn't have taken on the role of an ethics committee member in the first place.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But as you said, since there was a request from party members, the Ethics Committee has no choice but to review it. You are saying it doesn't mean they will definitely discipline them, and I understand that part.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Yes.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: The problem is, Leader Jang could have just kept quiet and said nothing about it, but look at his recent remarks. "Those who commit serious acts of party betrayal should be permanently banned from rejoining the party." Remarks about strong disciplinary action during closed-door Supreme Council meetings keep coming out.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Yes.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Since the media knows that's what the party leader thinks, aren't they writing about "disciplinary politics"? It's not like the party leader is saying, "I'll leave it to the Ethics Committee and I have no opinion on it. The Ethics Committee is an independent body." Instead, reports keep showing him hinting at his intention to discipline them strongly. That's why the talk of disciplinary politics is coming up, isn't it?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I read it this way. I didn't ask him directly.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Rejoining the party?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: No, rather than just rejoining the party, it's about needing to establish party discipline. At some point, we always talk about integration and harmony, and those who slandered and criticized the party from the outside act as if nothing happened and end up being embraced, while those who stood by the party until the end are marginalized. Because of this situation, I think he was making a principled statement.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: For example, let's say there is an eldest son and a second son, using Busan as a reference.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Busan?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: The eldest son and the eldest daughter-in-law take care of the parents 365 days a year. But then, the eldest daughter-in-law's dedication is completely forgotten, and we shouldn't highly praise the second daughter-in-law, who lives in Seoul and just comes down during Chuseok, Lunar New Year, or birthdays to give some pocket money.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: That's a bit of an ambiguous analogy.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Just like that, rather than disciplining everyone, Leader Jang Dong-hyeok is probably making a principled statement that those who commit serious acts of party betrayal will be banned from rejoining. Even if you look at all the media and newspapers, why is there an asterisk? "Subject to change at any time depending on circumstances."

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: What constitutes a serious act of party betrayal?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: For example, a serious case like Representative Cho Kyoung-tae is an act of party betrayal.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Representative Cho Kyoung-tae?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: For example. I believe one should not act like that.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: For example, telling Democratic Party lawmakers that Representative Park Duk-hyum should not become part of the National Assembly's vice-speakership?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Yes, exactly.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: To be precise, during his interview with me yesterday, Representative Cho Kyoung-tae said he didn't say Representative Park Duk-hyum shouldn't be the vice speaker, but rather that someone who defends rebellion should not be in the National Assembly leadership.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Then where in our People Power Party is there a faction that defends rebellion? Is he not a People Power Party lawmaker himself? If he talks like that, then he shouldn't have run for office. Why would he campaign asking for support from those who supposedly defend rebellion? That doesn't make sense. A six-term lawmaker should act like a six-term lawmaker.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: In any case, you see Representative Cho Kyoung-tae's case as a serious act of party betrayal.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I see it as serious. Because that's what party democracy is about, isn't it? Within the party, we can fight, clash, and criticize and debate fiercely. But once a decision is made as a party line, isn't it party politics to follow that party line? He ran for office, gave his speech, and at that time, we had 107 lawmakers. He appealed to all 107 lawmakers individually, competed against Representative Park Duk-hyum, and ultimately lost.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: And he even raised his hand to congratulate him. From the perspective of democracy, and as the most senior lawmaker in our party—a six-term lawmaker—knowing how to accept defeat is also part of democracy. Afterward, although he didn't explicitly name Representative Park Duk-hyum, Park Duk-hyum was the one elected, so it's obviously him. It's as clear as day.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Saying such things to Democratic Party lawmakers... I know many Democratic Party lawmakers and talk to them often. Even the Democratic Party lawmakers were frowning. They wondered why someone like him had to go that far. Did the Democratic Party lawmakers enthrone a rebellion-defending faction then? That's not it.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But yesterday, Representative Cho Kyoung-tae said that it is actually Leader Jang who is committing acts of party betrayal. He argued that Jang's failure to cut ties with former President Yoon Suk Yeol's faction is the real act of party betrayal that burdens the party. He said he would file a complaint against Leader Jang with the Ethics Committee.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I think it's not worth a moment's consideration because an unusual person is making an unusual statement.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: I see. So you said Representative Cho Kyoung-tae committed an act of party betrayal. Then what about this? Are the three lawmakers—Bae Hyun-jin, Park Jung-hoon, and Koh Dong-jin—who had chicken with Representative Han Dong-hoon in Busan, also guilty of party betrayal?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I think that should be judged according to the public's expectations.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: So you mean they are not?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: We shouldn't go down the path of disciplinary politics right now. What the public wants is to rely on and support the People Power Party as an alternative party, especially given how the Democratic Party is acting, right? We need to look at the big picture from that perspective. Why expand the frontline in disciplinary politics? I agree with establishing party discipline in general. However, disciplinary politics and things that hinder harmony must meet the expectations of the public, our party members, and our lawmakers. Therefore, I believe expanding the frontline is not desirable.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Then, apart from Representative Cho Kyoung-tae, the "Alternative and Future" group has been persistently demanding Leader Jang's resignation. Should they also not be disciplined?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Doesn't the Democratic Party do things like that too? In party politics, democracy is originally about moving forward with 49% opposition and 51% approval, isn't it? People can say whatever they want about the party. People even curse the king behind his back, so of course such things can happen. Reacting to every single thing, saying "I won't leave" or whatever, just because those people opposed me—that is not broad-minded politics. We should just understand that the People Power Party has a wide spectrum.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Then, those who supported Representative Han Dong-hoon's campaign when he was an independent candidate, such as Representative Jin Jong-oh, Representative Han Ji-ah, or the lawmakers who had chicken with him, are also not subject to discipline?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: If we discipline Representative Han Ji-ah or Representative Jin Jong-oh, what kind of social impact would that have? We need to let it go with a broad mind.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Then, by your standards, Representative Cho Kyoung-tae is the only one who should be disciplined?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Well, I'm not an ethics committee member.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But you are the head of the special advisory group.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: In my view, we should go with selection and focus, and we shouldn't expand the frontline. So, my expectation is that it could be viewed that way.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Have you talked to Leader Jang about this? Since you are the head of the advisory group, you can speak to him.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: He had some unfortunate personal matters at home recently. And the current situation is what it is. I plan to meet him soon to talk about how things are going.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: So you are going to tell him not to expand the disciplinary actions and that we shouldn't engage in disciplinary politics right now, right?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Yes, that's what I plan to do. I want to suggest that we embrace each other for now and move toward politics of unity.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Do you think he will listen to you?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: He tends to agree with most of what I say.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But the remarks coming from Leader Jang and those around him, like Supreme Council members Kim Min-su and Cho Kwang-han, are very strong. For example, regarding "Alternative and Future," they say things like "A future without alternatives should disband," and they argue that disciplinary action is necessary to establish party discipline.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Their political paths might be slightly different. Supreme Council member Cho Kwang-han and Supreme Council member Kim Min-su are currently outside the parliament. But in my view, they are doing that out of affection for the party. I don't think Leader Jang would listen to them and immediately put their words into action.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: So, doesn't Leader Jang Dong-hyeok also have his own thoughts, judgments, and plans for the future? We should look at it from that perspective. It's not like the party leader will execute actions just because one individual, even me as the head of the advisory group, tells him to discipline someone or not.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: But what I can say first is that, as the head of the special advisory group for the party, since the Ethics Committee only did a document review yesterday, if we tell them what to do beforehand, it could create the illusion of giving guidelines. In that sense, I believe we must move toward broad-minded politics of harmony and unity. That is what our citizens want. That is the message I want to convey.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: In any case, you are saying you will tell Leader Jang not to expand the disciplinary actions.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: That's right.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Leader Jang is reportedly going to Incheon today, and it seems he is spending more time outside Yeouido than in it. Some are asking if this is "out-of-parliament politics" to rally his hard-line supporters. I saw that either the Chosun Ilbo or the Dong-A Ilbo wrote about it today.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Rather than that, as you know well, host...

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: By-elections? They decided not to hold by-elections.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: There are many places inviting the party leader.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes, that's true.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: While the floor leader only needs to focus on parliamentary affairs, the party leader has countless events to attend. So when invitations come, he should try to go. It is right for him to go because he represents the People Power Party leader, rather than just the name Jang Dong-hyeok.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But there is also criticism that he is leaving Yeouido empty and wandering outside too much.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Historically, regardless of whether they are from the ruling or opposition party, party leaders spend much more time outside the National Assembly in Yeouido. If you look at past leaders, it has always been much more.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Could it be to rally his hard-line supporters?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Oh, no, it's not that.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: It's not? I see.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: It's not that. If there are any misunderstandings about the People Power Party among the wider public, he needs to go and explain things. That's how I see it.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Representative Kim Dae-sik, you talk a lot about integration and harmony. It would be great if it works out that way.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Yes.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: But I saw an interesting photo recently. It was from the "Emergency Forum on Korean Football" held on July 6. In the photo, you were talking warmly with Representative Han Dong-hoon. Was that also part of Representative Kim Dae-sik's signature politics of integration and harmony?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I had a prior event, so I arrived about 8 minutes late. When I got there, there were no seats left. Representative Jeong Yeon-uk's secretary guided me, and it turned out there was an empty seat right next to former leader Han Dong-hoon. So I went over, said it had been a while, and greeted him warmly. That was all, but the media published the photo with a caption like "Kim Dae-sik and Han Dong-hoon seriously discussing party pending issues."

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: The photo looked like a Supreme Council meeting atmosphere.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I'd like to thank the media for framing it so nicely.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: So you were just talking about football, and nothing special?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Just football. We didn't talk about party affairs; we just talked about football.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Then, do you think the issue of Representative Han Dong-hoon rejoining the party will eventually be resolved?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: As I said before, there is no need to rush right now. The river of conservatism is flowing gently here and there. Someday, it will gather into one big river. I mentioned this last time.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: That's how I see it. So, the more former leader Han Dong-hoon rushes now, the more tangled the knot becomes. And the more all the media say Leader Jang Dong-hyeok must step down, the more Leader Jang Dong-hyeok will refuse to step down.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: He will hold on more?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: He will hold on more. People need to realize this. The answer is obvious, yet all the media are acting as a unified team demanding that Jang be removed.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: But looking at the atmosphere within the party and various opinions, there are many people who dislike Jang Dong-hyeok. Just as there are people who like Han Dong-hoon, there are also people who dislike him. Are there people who like Kim Dae-sik? There are also people who dislike me. It's the same for the president.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: I think most people would like you, Representative.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Still, when I go to my constituency, 48% of the people dislike me because I won with 52%. That's why I believe there needs to be a proper timing. And the general consensus right now is that it is not the time for Leader Jang Dong-hyeok to step down. That's why I am telling you this accurately.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: So you are saying we need to wait because it takes time.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Exactly.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Representative, this is the last issue. Have you received any calls from the presidential office? Like, to play golf with the president.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I haven't received a call to play golf, but I am communicating through various channels.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: With the presidential office?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Yes. We are communicating, but I am waiting for the right timing. Isn't politics all about timing?

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: By the way, you strongly recommended me on Kim Tae-hyun's Show last time.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Everyone was saying that. When asked who the golf members should be, they said Representative Kim Dae-sik. Why? In the words of former Representative Jung Ok-im, you are someone who could even play a good round of golf with Chairman Kim Jong-un.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Is that so? It's because I converse and communicate with everyone, regardless of whether they are ruling or opposition party members. I heard that several lawmakers within the Democratic Party also recommended Kim Dae-sik.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Really? So if the presidential office calls and invites you to play golf with the president, will you play?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: I would actively consider it. We can play with the president, just like in the United States. But what matters is what kind of conversation we have and what we can achieve through it. We shouldn't just treat each other as enemies. Politics must be resolved through politics. There are various tangled issues right now, aren't there? We need to talk with the president to resolve what can be resolved and achieve what can be achieved.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Over 18 holes?

▶ Kim Dae-sik: While playing 18 holes.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: And having a drink at the teahouse.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Yes, talking. Isn't that what politics is?

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Indeed.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: If many people on Kim Tae-hyun's Show and Democratic Party lawmakers recommended me, and if an invitation comes, I will actively consider it and discuss it with the party.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: All right. We will put together a group of four and contact the presidential office, suggesting it would be a good idea.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: It seems the four members have already been decided.

▷ Kim Tae-hyun: Really? I see. We will wrap it up here today. That was Representative Kim Dae-sik of the People Power Party. Thank you.

▶ Kim Dae-sik: Thank you.

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