Lee Jun-seok: "Han Dong-hoon, the Anointed Crown Prince"... Hwang Kyo-ahn's 'Parallel Theory'

Han Dong-hoon Likely to Run in General Election as Minister of Justice
Yoon Seok-yeol Government's No. 2 vs Independent Path at Crossroads
"Han Dong-hoon and Hwang Kyo-ahn, Resembling Star Prosecutor Ministers"

"Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, like a crown prince anointed with oil, will not find it easy to win if he runs in next year's general election. Rather, I believe Minister Han can realize his value when he appears as a challenger fighting against vested interests, seen from a new perspective."

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok made this analysis regarding Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon's potential candidacy in next year's general election. The implication is that for Han, who is considered a close aide to President Yoon Seok-yeol, to establish himself as 'politician Han Dong-hoon,' he must step out of President Yoon's shadow.

In an interview with Asia Economy on the 21st, former leader Lee said, "Lee Hoi-chang, the Grand National Party chairman, was a bureaucrat favored during the Kim Young-sam administration, but when he joined the party, he showed a completely different side," adding, "He was the first to speak up and gave a fresh image like a steel rod. Minister Han will likely face a similar dilemma."

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, and Kwon Seong-dong and Kim Ki-hyun, co-chairs of the joint election campaign committee, are posing after placing 'Elected' stickers on photos of candidates confirmed to have won at the vote counting situation room set up in the National Assembly Library auditorium on the 1st. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Minister Han continues his nationwide activities, making political statements. Following his visit to Daegu, known as the 'heart of conservatism,' on the 17th, he visited Daejeon the day before and said, "I will use the language of 50 million people, not the 'Yeouido dialect'." This is interpreted as a commitment to act according to the people's perspective rather than traditional political norms, fueling speculation that he has solidified his decision to run in the general election.

Former leader Lee said, "Such a (crown prince) position has never been tolerated in Korean politics," and added, "If Minister Han enters politics, the situation could change depending on whether he takes the 'path of reform' or the 'path of the second-in-command'." He emphasized, "In a situation where many expect Minister Han to walk a path of ease, it is important to boldly abandon that."

He continued, "When former President Roh Moo-hyun gave up the 'Kim Young-sam kid' title in the PK region (Busan and Gyeongnam), we may not know how foolish that choice seemed, but we must see what courage that gave birth to," and said, "When Lee Jun-seok, nicknamed the 'Park Geun-hye kid,' decided to take a different path from former President Park Geun-hye, was it because he was foolish, or rather because he thought deeply? We can judge that."

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon is attending the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 2nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

This refers to the political history where former President Roh, who entered politics with the support of former President Kim Young-sam (elected in the 13th general election), broke ties with Kim in 1990 in protest of Kim's merger with former Chairman Kim Jong-pil and former President Roh Tae-woo, and was later elected as the 16th president.

Former leader Lee also raised a 'parallel theory' between Minister Han and former Future United Party (predecessor of People Power Party) leader Hwang Kyo-ahn. Both share backgrounds as prosecutors and ministers of justice, and both rose to prominence as 'star ministers' in their 50s as young cabinet members. Furthermore, former leader Hwang ran in the 21st general election as party leader, and Minister Han is likely to run in the 22nd general election, with discussions within and outside the ruling party about 'Han Dong-hoon as emergency committee chairman.' Former leader Lee said, "If it reaches that (Han Dong-hoon emergency committee), then Minister Han is truly becoming similar to former leader Hwang."

Former leader Lee said, "I don't think there is any guarantee of success just by following a certain model, but it is a worthwhile consideration for Minister Han," and added, "(I am) not saying he must fight with the president, but there is a way to be much more reformist without clashing with the president." He added, "He should avoid saying things that conservative media or hardline supporters want to hear, like conspiracy theories about election fraud."