The fallout from the so-called "collar-grabbing incident," in which People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Young-jin grabbed a floor leader by the collar while protesting the allocation of National Assembly standing committee seats, is growing. As the party's floor leadership pressed Kwon to "decide his own fate," voices both inside and outside the party are calling for him to voluntarily leave the party.
Choi Soo-jin, chief floor spokesperson of the People Power Party, met with reporters at the National Assembly on the 26th and criticized Kwon, saying, "Kwon grabbing someone by the collar amounts to violence." She added, "Grabbing the collars of the current and former floor leaders is something that cannot happen in the party, no matter the reason." She continued, "I understand he has already said he would step down as secretary of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee," and said, "It is right for him to decide his own fate."
On the 23rd of this month, Kwon caused a disturbance, including grabbing the collars of People Power Party floor leader Chung Jom-sik and former floor leader Song Eon-seog, while protesting the allocation of standing committee seats. He later issued a public apology and expressed his intention to step down as chairman of the party's Daegu city chapter, but criticism within the party has not subsided.
Requests for disciplinary action against Kwon have also followed. Chief floor spokesperson Choi explained, "There is currently a complaint filed with the ethics committee from outside, and a criminal complaint has also been received."
Both inside and outside the party, there are arguments that Kwon needs to voluntarily leave the party. The reasoning is that he should be held gravely accountable for using violence against floor leaders. One People Power Party lawmaker pointed to the 2021 case in which former floor leader Song voluntarily left the party over a controversy involving assault of a party staff member, and said, "This case is more serious than that."
