Democratic Party of Korea faces expulsion after lawmaker leaves amid sexual harassment allegations.
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Jang Kyung-tae has left the party amid sexual harassment allegations, with the party signaling it will pursue expulsion as a disciplinary outcome. The move comes as an ethics review into his conduct is underway.
The allegations center on an incident in 2023 at a Yeouido restaurant in Seoul involving a female aide. The accuser has said Jang exposed her identity to a third party and that there was a second act of wrongdoing, prompting police review.
On the same day, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s investigative review panel recommended forwarding the quasi-forcible molestation charge to prosecutors, and, after additional investigation, forwarding the second charge as well. The party’s ethics process had been examining possible disciplinary measures.
Democratic Party leaders had pressed for a disciplinary outcome, including expulsion, if Jang resigned to sidestep sanctions. The party’s legal affairs chief stated that if a lawmaker resigns after disciplinary proceedings have begun and the resignation is deemed aimed at evading punishment, expulsion could be imposed, with the final decision to be made by the party’s Ethics Deliberation Council. A post-expulsion ban on rejoining the party for five years is typically applied, though officials cautioned that guilt or innocence had not been determined.
A party spokesperson emphasized that prosecutors’ forward recommendations do not equate to a guilt ruling, noting that the case remains under investigation and review. The Ethics Deliberation Council is expected to meet soon to decide on post-disciplinary measures.
Jang’s departure also leaves vacant the Democratic Party’s Seoul chapter chairmanship. The party intends to appoint an acting leadership to oversee the Seoul branch and assign local-election nominations to that caretaker.
Why this matters beyond Korea: Seoul politics influence South Korea’s business climate, technology sector, and regional security posture. The Democratic Party is a major player in national policy and in governing coalitions, and how it handles misconduct and disciplinary processes can affect governance, local and national elections, and Korea’s policy stance toward the United States. For U.S. readers, the case illustrates how internal party discipline intersects with accountability for public figures, the integrity of political institutions, and the stability of Korea’s political environment that underpins alliance commitments, tech supply chains, and regional security cooperation.