KOR- Shifting Blame for Local Election Defeat and Gagging Opposing Factions
- Requesting Disciplinary Action Against Me for 'Calling for Park Duk-hyum's Defeat'? Nonsense
- Excluded from National Assembly Vice Speaker Bid for Leading Yoon's Impeachment
- I Just Questioned If It Is Right for Insurrection-Defending Forces to Join the Assembly Leadership
- My Actions Are Harmful to the Party? This Is Why We Have the Image of an Insurrection-Defending Party
- The 59 Lawmakers Who Voted for Park Duk-hyum in the Primary Also Made a Wrong Judgment
- Jang Dong-hyeok Should Resign Himself Instead of Diverting Attention with Disciplinary Politics
- Banning Re-entry for Harmful Acts? A Dangerous Remark... Jang Dong-hyeok Is the One Harming the Party
- A Trick to Extend the Party Leader's Tenure... Lawmakers Must Make a Decision
- Opposing the Abolition of Supplementary Investigative Powers... Minimum Checks and Balances Are Needed
■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5 MHz 7:00 – 9:00)
■ Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2026
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Representative Cho Kyoung-tae of the People Power Party
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Amid concerns that Representative Jang Dong-hyeok may have restarted so-called "disciplinary politics," the People Power Party's Ethics Committee held a meeting yesterday (July 6). It is reported that they did not make an immediate decision on disciplinary action. We are connected by phone with Representative Cho Kyoung-tae of the People Power Party, whose name is on the Ethics Committee's disciplinary agenda. Hello.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Hello, this is Representative Cho Kyoung-tae.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Representative, the Ethics Committee did meet yesterday (July 6), but they reportedly only categorized the cases without making a decision to initiate formal proceedings. Although nothing definitive came out yesterday (July 6), how did you view the outcome of that meeting?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Well, first of all, conducting disciplinary politics itself is not common, and many party members are deeply concerned. There seems to be a strong public opinion that it is highly inappropriate for the leadership—who should be taking responsibility for the defeat after the local elections—to act with such audacity, trying to gag opposing forces through disciplinary measures.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Representative, there was an exclusive report by Channel A yesterday (July 6) stating that a request for disciplinary action against you has been received. According to the report, the request claims that during the election for the National Assembly Vice Speaker, you called the floor leader and lawmakers of the Democratic Party to advocate for the defeat of Representative Park Duk-hyum of the People Power Party, who competed against you in the primary. The request reportedly labels this as an act harmful to the party. First of all, is this report factually accurate?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: That is nonsense. Do you really think it is normal for a political party to have forces that defend insurrection, or those who oppose the impeachment of the ringleader of an insurrection, occupy the position of National Assembly Vice Speaker or other parliamentary posts? I believe the reason our People Power Party still cannot escape the image of being an "insurrection-defending party," regardless of any interests, is precisely because of things like this. I am a six-term lawmaker, and Representative Park Duk-hyum is a four-term lawmaker. According to parliamentary custom, priority is usually given to those with more terms. Despite this, what would be the reason for making a four-term lawmaker the Vice Speaker? Excluding me simply because I took the lead in opposing Yoon Suk-yeol's emergency martial law or advocating for his impeachment shows that the People Power Party has not come to its senses.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: In that sense, I believe the National Assembly has a grave responsibility to transcend the interests of a specific political party, represent the will of the people, and protect the constitutional order. If a party makes a wrong choice, correcting it within the National Assembly is what I view as a righteous act.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Then, is it true that you called the Democratic Party's floor leader or Democratic Party lawmakers and said, "We must not elect Representative Park Duk-hyum as the Vice Speaker," as reported? Is that a fact?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: What I said was that forces defending insurrection should not hold parliamentary posts, and I believe that is a legitimate argument.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: So, you are saying you did not explicitly say "Do not vote for Park Duk-hyum," but rather phrased it as "Insurrection-defending forces must not join the National Assembly leadership"?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Is there something wrong with my expression? Is it a normal political party where an insurrection-defending force or someone who opposed the impeachment of the ringleader of an insurrection holds a parliamentary post?
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: In any case, you are saying you did express it that way to Democratic Party lawmakers—that insurrection-defending forces should not join the leadership?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Of course. Furthermore, organizations related to the May 18 Democratization Movement and the Buma Democratic Uprising also issued statements of opposition. Have you by any chance seen those?
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: No, I have not.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Please make sure to look them up.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Also, the election for the National Assembly leadership is a free-vote process by lawmakers. It does not matter who they vote for. Trying to determine right or wrong based on this is an act that infringes upon lawmakers' political rights and voting rights.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: I see. However, there was a Supreme Council meeting yesterday (July 6), and Supreme Council member Kim Min-su reportedly said your actions constitute an act harmful to the party.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Supreme Council member Kim Min-su is part of the faction that defends former President Yoon Suk-yeol, the prominent ringleader of the insurrection. That is why I believe our People Power Party still cannot escape the image of being an "insurrection-defending party."
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: I wish we could ask the public which political force is actually committing acts harmful to the party.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: But there seems to be this perspective: you did lose to Representative Park Duk-hyum in the party primary. Since you are speaking out after losing, some within the party seem to be pushing back.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: What I want to say is that our party is still maintaining its official party line of opposing impeachment. No one views that as the correct course of action right now. I believe that when the People Power Party makes a wrong judgment and goes down the wrong path, it is the public who must correct it, and the National Assembly must also correct it.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Then, when you lost the party primary, the winning candidate, Representative Park Duk-hyum, received 59 votes. Do you believe that the 59 lawmakers who voted for Representative Park Duk-hyum also made a wrong judgment in that regard?
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: I certainly believe they made a wrong judgment. This is because Representative Park Duk-hyum is someone who persistently opposed the impeachment of the insurrection ringleader who committed the insurrection. I do not think a party that appoints someone who opposed impeachment to a parliamentary post is a normal party.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Furthermore, when the December 3 emergency martial law occurred, I was one of the few senior lawmakers with four or more terms who climbed over the National Assembly wall to vote to lift the December 3 emergency martial law.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: If this were a sensible party, who would be the right person to appoint as the National Assembly Vice Speaker?
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Understood. Representative, according to reports, the request for disciplinary action explicitly asks for expulsion or a recommendation to leave the party. Do you expect to be disciplined over this issue?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: I believe it is not appropriate for me to answer hypothetical questions about things that are not yet reality. I will say that my political conviction remains unchanged: I will continue to look only to the public and trust the public, rather than any specific political party, just as I have acted from the moment the December 3 emergency martial law was declared until now.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: The listeners tuning into this broadcast should also act based on their judgment of whether the December 3 emergency martial law was right or wrong. I viewed it as a wrong act and have acted consistently and persistently. I believe the public needs to look at this more strictly, and there must be a stern judgment.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Representative, but if disciplinary action is actually handed down, how will you respond? You must be making some preparations.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: As I just mentioned, I do not think it is appropriate to answer hypothetical questions about an issue that has not yet occurred.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Understood.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: However, let me reiterate that when it comes to the December 3 emergency martial law and the insurrection, I have no intention of making any political compromises with anyone.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: But it is not just you; reportedly, 70 requests for disciplinary action have been submitted. What is the atmosphere like among the lawmakers within the party? If this is the case...
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: That is exactly what I am talking about. I even used the expression "audacity." When Representative Jang Dong-hyeok ran in the party leadership election last time, did he not say he would resign if the party lost the local elections? If so, he should just resign himself. Instead, he is trying to divert attention elsewhere through this disciplinary politics, which is a very cowardly act.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Understood. However, during yesterday's (July 6) closed-door Supreme Council meeting, Representative Jang Dong-hyeok reportedly went further than just disciplinary action, saying, "For serious acts harmful to the party, we must permanently ban re-entry even if we have to revise the party constitution and rules." How do you view this remark?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: I think it is a very dangerous remark. The person who actually committed a serious act harmful to the party is Representative Jang Dong-hyeok himself, who lied to the public and party members. He must keep his promise to step down if he lost the June 3 local elections. Ask the public right now. Is Cho Kyoung-tae, who tried to protect the lives and safety of the public and impeached the ringleader of the insurrection, the one committing acts harmful to the party? Or is it Representative Jang Dong-hyeok, who defends the ringleader of the insurrection and refuses to take responsibility despite losing the June 13 local elections? If you ask the public, they will give you the answer.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: So you are saying the one who committed the truly serious act harmful to the party is Representative Jang Dong-hyeok. What do you think Representative Jang Dong-hyeok means by "serious acts harmful to the party"?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: I just told you. Since the People Power Party lost the local elections, he must take responsibility for that defeat. At the time, there were several cases where candidates for whom Representative Jang Dong-hyeok campaigned lost their elections. I believe he needs to show accountability as the party leader. Furthermore, if you look at public opinion polls, the negative sentiment toward Representative Jang Dong-hyeok is much higher, isn't it? Despite this, who is the main culprit driving the public away from supporting our party by continuously failing to take responsibility and practice accountable politics? It is the party leader.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Representative, what do you think is Representative Jang's real purpose in activating the Ethics Committee to conduct disciplinary politics?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: As I mentioned earlier, his own responsibility—
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Evading it?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Yes, trying to evade the calls for his resignation and avoid accountable politics. In a way, he is engaging in political tricks. I view it that way. Will the public tolerate such political tricks aimed at extending his tenure as party leader?
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: That is ultimately the point. You described it as political tricks to extend the party leader's tenure. In any case, many observe that unless Representative Jang steps down himself or the Supreme Council collapses, there is no way to force him out, so the Jang Dong-hyeok leadership might continue for the time being. What are you planning to do regarding this matter going forward?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Actually, we have about 110 sitting lawmakers in the People Power Party. These individuals need to make a decision and move forward, but I do not know if they have that kind of courage. During the last December 3 emergency martial law, only 12 lawmakers joined the impeachment vote. I consider that a very small minority.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: But as you and our listeners know, if those 12 lawmakers had not resolved to impeach back then, the terrible situation of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, the ringleader of the insurrection, still remaining in office could be happening right now.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: And the public would naturally applaud those 12 politicians who judged the emergency martial law to be wrong and impeached the ringleader of the insurrection who acted against the will of the people.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: The problem is that the majority, who still oppose impeachment, hold the party power. In that sense, the People Power Party is in a rather sad reality.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Understood. Representative, lastly, let me ask you about another current issue. Yesterday (July 6), Kim Han-kyu, the Democratic Party's senior vice floor leader for policy, said they would pass an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act regarding supplementary investigative powers before the party convention. How do you view this?
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: I believe that unchecked power, absolute power, corrupts absolutely. In that sense, I do not think it is right to allow infinite power. I believe a minimum level of checks and balances is necessary.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Yes.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: If I were to state my personal conviction, I believe it is right to maintain at least the minimum supplementary investigative powers of the prosecution, and I oppose their complete abolition.
[Host] Kim Tae-hyun: Understood, Representative. We will wrap up here. This was Representative Cho Kyoung-tae of the People Power Party. Thank you.
[Interview] Cho Kyoung-tae: Thank you.
The copyright of this interview material belongs to SBS Radio.
When publishing the full text or quoting the interview, please specify the channel name and the exact program name as follows.
[SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show]
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
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