[Conflict between Yoon and Han] ① Will President Yoon Meet Han Dong-hoon?

Many Say It's Still Premature
Calls for Restraint in Escalation and Seeking Conflict Resolution

The Presidential Office is struggling to devise a plan to reconcile conflicts with Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party. While there are rumors that a meeting between Chairman Han and a senior official from Yongsan is imminent, the prevailing response is that it is still premature.

On the 23rd, a Presidential Office official told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "A high-level meeting in the near future will not be easy," adding, "I understand that they are considering ways to calmly resolve the conflict." This shift in atmosphere stems from a growing sense of crisis that if the party and the Presidential Office continue their 'strong versus strong confrontation' just 80 days before the general election, it could lead to mutual destruction. Calls for an exit strategy to resolve the situation are gaining momentum.

In particular, public opinion regarding the allegations of First Lady Kim Geon-hee receiving luxury handbags is unfavorable, and subtle shifts within the party are also becoming a burden for the Presidential Office. Although Rep. Lee Yong of the People Power Party (first-term, proportional representation), who served as President Yoon’s chief of staff, voiced the Presidential Office’s dissatisfaction with the nominations led by Chairman Han, bringing party-government conflicts to the surface, there is no active support for this movement within the People Power Party except among some pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) figures.

On the contrary, lawmakers Lee Sang-min, Ha Tae-kyung, and Lee Yong-ho are calling for an apology from the First Lady, leading to a surge of dissent within the party. There are also voices supporting Chairman Han, who has distanced himself from President Yoon by saying, "This is an issue to be considered from the public’s perspective." According to the party’s constitution and regulations, Chairman Han cannot be forcibly removed unless he voluntarily resigns, so even within the ruling party, there is growing support for the position that the party and the Presidential Office should refrain from escalating the conflict and seek a point to reconcile.

A ruling party official said, "President Yoon’s explanation at a meeting with his aides the day before that this is not a 'purge of Han Dong-hoon' also shows room for improving relations," expressing concern that "if the conflict prolongs, suspicions may arise that President Yoon, as the 'No. 1 party member,' is interfering in party affairs and the general election."