Ruling party to expel scandal-ridden member

The ruling Saenuri Party said Tuesday it has rejected an appeal request by a member allegedly implicated in a money-for-nomination scandal ahead of April's parliamentary election.

The party's central ethics committee said it has carefully examined the request made by Hyun Ki-hwan, and decided arguments raised did not warrant a reconsideration of its earlier decision to expel the former lawmaker.

The party is scheduled to handle the expulsion case at a Supreme Council meeting set for Thursday.

"The original decision to eject Hyun was made legally and followed party guidelines," said Rep. Kyeong Dae-soo, who heads the ethics committee.

Hyun was a member of a party committee responsible for nominating proportional candidates and has been accused of receiving 300 million won (US$265,600) from Rep. Hyun Young-hee, via Cho Ki-moon, who acted as a middle man in the transaction.

Cho, a former official of the party's Busan chapter, was taken into custody late Monday.

"Hyun has claimed that the unreliability of testimonies provided by the middle man is proof of his innocence, but the view of the ethics committee is that the latest developments are not favorable to the former lawmaker," Kyeong said.

He, however, said that just because Saenuri is expelling Hyun, it does not mean that the party has evidence to think he received the money from Rep. Hyun.

Both Hyuns, who are not related despite a shared last name, have consistently denied the allegations raised.

Sources in the ruling party, meanwhile, said that in light of the scandal that has hurt Saenuri's public image and could weigh down Rep. Park Geun-hye's bid to become the country's next president, measures are being reviewed that could revamp internal processes to ensure that there are no more money-for-nomination scandals in the future. Park is clearly the favorite to win Saenuri's presidential nomination early next week.

Regarding the expulsion of Rep. Hyun that is also being pursued, the party must receive the approval of at least two-thirds of the party's 149 lawmakers at a general meeting. Even if the lawmaker is expelled, she will be able to hold onto her parliamentary seat. (Yonhap News)