2024-04-23 11:53:32
The observation that Han Dong-hoon, former chairman of the People Power Party’s emergency response committee, is trying to draw a line with President Yoon Seok-yeol after he refused to meet with President Yoon Seok-yeol due to health reasons is gaining weight.
According to the ruling party on the 22nd, the prevailing view is that former Chairman Han will not run in the People Power Party leadership election scheduled for June.
A key official of the People Power Party said, “Party members are very eager to do so, but former Chairman Han will not challenge for party power this time. Wouldn’t it be good if he played a role in the local elections?”
Former Emergency Response Committee member Kim Kyung-yul, who is considered to be one of former Chairman Han’s closest associates, also said on CBS Radio that day, “As someone who knows former Chairman Han a little, I think he will never run for the next party leadership election.”
Former member Kim said, “Don’t we need time to reflect on the meaning of our defeat in this general election? And for this, I think we need time to think about how the People Power Party should be transformed.”
Former Chairman Han has been in hiding since stepping down on the 11th, taking responsibility for the defeat in the general election. He broke his silence on the 20th, nine days after his resignation, through Facebook. The emphasis was on ‘betrayal’. Former Chairman Han said, “The only people politicians should not betray are the people,” and added, “Efforts to correct mistakes are not betrayal, but courage.”
Former Chairman Han’s remarks are interpreted as showing his discomfort towards Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo. Immediately after the general election, Mayor Hong held former Chairman Han responsible for the defeat and attacked him, calling him a ‘Moon Jae-in hound’, ‘a destructor of the Yoon Seok-yeol regime’, and a ‘traitor’. It was interpreted that former Chairman Han was sniping at the fact that he clashed with President Yoon several times during the general election due to the suspicion of first lady Kim Kun-hee receiving luxury bags and the Lee Jong-seop and Hwang Sang-moo controversies.
It is also unusual that former Chairman Han, who expressed his opinions within the party by sending messages to party members, party officials, and aides, from his inauguration as emergency chairman in December of last year to even after his resignation, used social networking services (SNS), a public communication channel. Former Chairman Han wrote on Facebook, “No matter what happens, I will not betray you or the people. You may be frustrated because you can’t see the path clearly, but let’s work together.”
Some interpreted former Chairman Han’s independent actions as a move to challenge for the next party leadership. However, as former Chairman Han said, “I will take time to study and reflect to become more sophisticated,” the prevailing opinion within the ruling party is that this national convention will not be the time for former Chairman Han to return to politics.
Many believe that the reason why Mayor Hong has recently increased the level of criticism of former Chairman Han is to keep his rivals for the next presidential election in check. Mayor Hong, who is mentioned as the next presidential candidate along with former Chairman Han, is also known to have had a private dinner with President Yoon on the 16th, and there is analysis that his recent remarks are a move that reflects ‘Yoon’s sentiments’.
Mayor Hong said on his Facebook page on this day, “Even if I am not pro-Yoon, I am opposed to shaking the president for the sake of the country’s stability.” “It will be stable,” he said.
Reporter Kim Jeong-hyeon Photo News 1
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2024-04-23 11:53:32