On the 17th, Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, visited Daegu, a conservative stronghold, drawing keen attention from both ruling and opposition parties to his potential candidacy in the upcoming general election. The fact that he followed a path similar to President Yoon Seok-yeol ahead of the election is enough to be politically interpreted. However, opinions differ on his role, with some suggesting he should run in a difficult district while others favor Daegu.
On the 20th, Ahn Min-seok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, predicted his candidacy on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' saying, "(Minister Han) is expected to run in December. That would be after the regular National Assembly session, and at that time, he will likely reach even greater heights."
Minister Han described his visit to Daegu as a "routine visit for foreigner policy and victim protection policy planned long ago," but in reality, it is closer to a political move.
Rep. Ahn called it "a highly political act," adding, "There must have been a reason for it, especially during such a precious weekend. And when he went down there, he praised the citizens of Daegu highly." He pointed out Minister Han's remark, "I have always deeply respected the citizens of Daegu. I am very glad to be here."
Kim Jae-seop, head of the Dobong-gap district committee of the People Power Party, also praised Minister Han's visit to Daegu on YTN Radio's 'News King with Park Ji-hoon,' calling it "a very political move" and described him as "a true star," expressing high expectations for his candidacy in the general election.
In particular, recent reports of volunteer activity photos of his spouse, lawyer Jin Eun-jung, have added weight to these speculations. Rep. Ahn said, "Ultimately, this is laying the groundwork for his candidacy," and Chairman Kim also remarked, "The fact that the photos came out now, along with recent reports scrutinizing the Minister of Justice, gives the impression that he will actually run."
However, there are differing views on what role he should take in the general election and which district he should run in. Oh Shin-hwan, Innovation Committee member of the People Power Party, said on YTN Radio, "If the Minister of Justice decides to take steps as a politician in next year's general election and makes a firm decision, he could be a valuable resource for the party," adding, "If he takes on the role of going to a so-called difficult district, sacrificing himself to lead it to victory, wouldn't that be a greater help to the party?" This implies running in a challenging district such as the metropolitan area.
However, Cho Won-jin, leader of the Our Republican Party, said, "There is constant talk about the metropolitan area, but running in Daegu is more convincing," adding, "If he gives up the metropolitan area, he will have to focus all his efforts there. It would inevitably be a very difficult election, and we need to consider whether that would be effective in the general election."
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