The leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Sunday demanded former floor leader Rep. Kim Byung-kee voluntarily leave the party amid mounting corruption suspicions surrounding him. "We request that (Kim) deeply deliberate on which path best cherishes the party," DPK spokesperson Park Soo-hyeon said, in what was apparently a call on him to give up party membership. Park said there were even impending calls for the DPK leadership to expel Kim. The call came after Kim resigned as the DPK's floor leader last month amid snowballing allegations, including claims that he received money from a former local council member in 2020 while serving as the secretary of the party's Seoul nomination committee. Despite mounting pressure to leave the party, Kim has said he will not quit even if he faces expulsion.