Former ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon and two other heavyweight PPP politicians announced their bids for party leader on Sunday, kicking off a race that could determine the party’s relations with President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Han said he would propose a bill on special prosecution into allegations that the presidential office and the defense ministry inappropriately interfered in the Marines’ investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who was killed during a search mission for victims of heavy downpours in July 2023.
Han also stressed he will try to put the party’s relations with the government on a more equal footing, saying the party has so far been unable to even voice reasonable criticism of the government’s policy directions or political decisions.
“I will reestablish the party-government relations in a horizontal way,” Han said. “The party should faithfully cooperate with the government, but I will not mind providing reasonable checks, criticism and suggestions for change wh
en necessary.”
Referring to the April 10 parliamentary election defeat as his responsibility, Han said he will fully take responsibility by dedicating himself to creating a party that truly responds to public sentiment and meets the expectations of the people.
The PPP plans to hold a national convention on July 23 to elect a new leader in the wake of its crushing defeat in April’s parliamentary elections. Han, who led the party through the elections as emergency committee leader, resigned immediately after the defeat to take responsibility.
Rep. Na Kyung-won and former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong also announced their bids.
Na, a five-term lawmaker, said she will completely revamp the party to help it remain in power in the next presidential election. She also said she will not run for president, stressing her commitment to run the party in a neutral way without getting swayed by personal ambitions.
Won said he will try to work for the success of the Yoon administration.
“I and the president have trust i
n each other,” Won said. “I will convey the opinions of the party and people to the president without addition or deduction.”
The election is expected to be a four-way race, including Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, a five-term lawmaker who has already declared his bid, but many political watchers believe the race will mainly be about whether Han will be elected or not.
Han had been considered one of the closest confidants of President Yoon, with critics even calling him Yoon’s “avatar.” But their relations have soured due to a series of politically sensitive issues in the run-up to the elections, including how to handle allegations that first lady Kim Keon Hee received a luxury bag as a gift in 2022.
Source: Yonhap News Agency