▲ Former Democratic Party floor leader Rep. Kim Byung-kee leaves the party building after attending a meeting of the party's ethics committee on Jan. 12, 2026. (Yonhap)

ex-floor leader-expulsion

DP votes to expel ex-floor leader over corruption allegations

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Monday voted to expel former floor leader Rep. Kim Byung-kee amid mounting corruption allegations surrounding the lawmaker, including receiving preferential treatment and abusing his power.

The decision came after Kim had refused to voluntarily leave the party despite calls from the DP's leadership demanding the former floor leader give up his party membership over his snowballing allegations.

Han Dong-soo, the head of the DP's ethnics committee, said the decision was made after comprehensively taking into account various factors, including the gravity of the case, and whether the statue of limitations for disciplinary action had expired.

Under the party's internal regulations, no disciplinary action may be taken once three years have passed since the date on which the grounds for such punishment arose.

Kim resigned as the DP's floor leader last month after a range of allegations surfaced against him, including that he received money from a former local council member in 2020 while serving as the secretary of the party's Seoul nomination committee.

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