South Korea's main opposition party expels ex-leader over posts about ousted President Yoon

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea's main opposition People Power Party (PPP) said Thursday that it has expelled a former party chief over his family's posting of defamatory remarks about ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife on a party bulletin board, local media reported.

The PPP's supreme council finalized the decision about two weeks after its ethics committee voted to oust Han Dong-hoon for damaging the party's image, said Yonhap News Agency.

Yoon as formally removed from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, 2025, following his failed declaration of martial law on Dec, 3, 2024.

Han, once considered Yoon's close aide, threw his weight behind the latter's impeachment and subsequently stepped down as party leader.

Although Han has apologized for the controversy surrounding the posts, he termed his expulsion, which comes ahead of local elections in June, "manipulation" and "political retaliation."

Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison, earlier this month on charges of obstructing investigators' attempts to detain him last year.

It marked his first sentencing in eight cases he is standing trial for, including over charges that he led an insurrection through his December 2024 martial law declaration.