Bae Hyun-jin Claims: ‘PPP Leaders Possibly Scammed by ‘Sham Broker’ on U.S. Visit’

With less than two months remaining before the June 3 local elections, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok’s 8-night, 10-day visit to the United States—already under heavy criticism—has triggered new allegations within the party. On the 27th, claims emerged that he may have been misled by low-level political brokers. The criticism centers on the perception that the extended trip produced little tangible outcome, along with rumors that the initial connection for the visit may have come from something as informal as a social media contact linked to Supreme Council member Kim Min-soo. Rep. Bae Hyun-jin, who raised the issue and is associated with a faction opposed to Jang, did not provide concrete evidence.

Speaking on SBS Radio’s Kim Tae-hyun’s Political Show, Bae stated that her remarks were speculative but suggested that Jang and his associates may have been guided by unreliable intermediaries in the United States. She also referred to circulating talk that a Facebook connection linked to Kim Min-soo may have played a role in arranging the trip.

Bae drew a comparison to a past episode involving Hong Joon-pyo. In January of the previous year, he traveled to Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of Donald Trump, but ultimately watched the ceremony from his hotel room. At the time, his side had claimed he had received an official invitation as a Korean presidential candidate, yet seating limitations and severe weather prevented attendance at the event site. Bae described the inauguration as an occasion accessible to the general public and characterized the situation as another instance in which a political figure may have been misled by intermediaries.

She further suggested that the recent U.S. trip may have involved substantial party expenditures. Based on her experience, she estimated that the cost could have reached hundreds of millions of won and argued that the matter warrants a party audit. Bae emphasized that Jang bears responsibility to clearly explain the outcomes of the visit to party members and the public. She criticized his explanation as insufficient, noting that he has cited confidentiality while simultaneously claiming to have met officials above the level of U.S. assistant secretary.