PPP TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST KIM SUNG-WON

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The ruling People Power Party's ethics committee has decided to seek disciplinary action against one of its lawmakers, Kim Sung-won, who came under fire for his remarks made at a flood damage site about hoping for more rain to come. Similar procedures will also begin against Rep. Kwon Eun-hee, likely in relation to her open protest against a new police bureau created under the interior ministry.

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The PPP's ethics committee held a plenary meeting Monday evening and decided to launch a disciplinary process against Kim Sung-won who had made inappropriate remarks at a flood damage site in Seoul on August 11th. He drew strong criticism after he was caught on camera saying that he wanted more rainfall so that photos of him doing voluntary cleanup work would come out better.

[Soundbite] Lee Yang-hee(Chair, PPP Ethics Committee) : "We strongly advise Kim to be careful with his words and actions in the future as his recent inappropriate remarks have deeply hurt the Korean people."

Kim issued a public apology three times since the incident and also stepped down from his senior post in the parliament budget committee. However, interim chief of PPP, Joo Ho-young went ahead and referred him to the ethics committee. The committee said it will also take disciplinary steps against Kwon Eun-hee, a former police officer. In protest to the new bureau police created under the interior ministry, Kwon called for the impeachment of interior minister Lee Sang-min and even held talks with opposition lawmakers. The ethics committee reportedly viewed such acts as doing harm to the party. Kwon has lashed out against the latest decision saying that punishing a lawmaker over parliamentary activities violates the Constitution. The committee also announced disciplinary action against Rep. Kim Hee-kuk who is indicted on charges of taking donations from business people in return for choosing their company to join a state-led project. The committee however said that it did not discuss whether to seek further disciplinary measures against the party's former chair Lee Jun-seok who has been publicly slamming the PPP and President Yoon Suk-yeol. Lee Yang-hee who heads the ethics panel explained that the committee did receive reports regarding Lee but decided against discussing his matter this time around due to number of reasons.