Four Members Sharing Names with Han's Family Left PPP After Forum Controversy

The People Power Party's (PPP) disciplinary audit committee announced on January 9 that four party members sharing the same names as former chairman Han Dong-hoon's family members had all withdrawn from the party after the "party member forum" controversy targeting Han erupted.

Lee Ho-sun, chairman of the disciplinary audit committee, issued an emergency notice stating, "We are providing clear factual information to prevent unnecessary misunderstanding."

According to the committee's review of party membership records related to forum posts written under the names of Han's family members, the four individuals withdrew sequentially between December 16 and 19 last year, and the last four digits of their mobile phone numbers were identical. This occurred approximately one month after the party member forum controversy emerged on November 5.

The committee also noted that party members sharing the names of Han's wife, mother-in-law, and father-in-law were registered in the Gangnam-B electoral district in Seoul. The electoral district containing Tower Palace, where Han's residence is located, is also Gangnam-B. A party member with the same name as Han's daughter was identified as an overseas Korean citizen, the committee explained.

"We have not conducted a 'comprehensive investigation' of the party member forum, nor have we obtained any results or related materials from such an investigation," the committee stated, urging restraint from "speculative reporting or overinterpretation based on unconfirmed information."

The disciplinary audit committee plans to proceed independently with its investigation, conclusions, and follow-up measures regardless of whether the currently vacant Central Ethics Committee chairmanship is filled, with the intention of consolidating committee members' opinions before referring the matter to the party's ethics committee.

The party member forum controversy refers to allegations that Han's family members were involved in defamatory posts about former President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife that appeared on the PPP member forum in November last year. PPP Chairman Chang Dong-hyuk had previously stated after taking office that he would clarify the facts surrounding this matter.