Handonghun: "Have I Ever Talked About Mrs. Kim's Apology... No Demand for Kim Kyung-yul's Resignation"

'Emergency Forum on Political Reform at the Level of Fellow Citizens'
Han: No Change in Position Regarding Mrs. Kim Issue

Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, on the 25th asked rhetorically, "Have I ever said that Kim Geon-hee apologized?"

After the urgent discussion meeting titled 'Political Reform at the Eye Level of Fellow Citizens' held that morning, Chairman Han responded to reporters' question, "Isn't your position different from when you said an apology was necessary regarding the controversy surrounding Mrs. Kim?" with this remark.

Regarding the party's restraint on expressing opinions about Mrs. Kim by Chairman Han and Emergency Response Committee member Kim Kyung-yul following conflicts with the Presidential Office, when asked if this meant the party would not mention this issue, he said, "My position has not changed," adding, "Please understand it exactly as I have stated."

Earlier, Chairman Han had stated concerning the suspicion of Mrs. Kim receiving a luxury handbag, "There are parts that the public can worry about," and "It is an issue to consider from the public's perspective." When asked if the Presidential Office demanded the resignation of Emergency Response Committee member Kim Kyung-yul, he flatly denied, saying, "I have never received such a demand."

Handonghoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is delivering opening remarks at the "Future of University Students Together On-site Meeting" held at Soongsil University in Dongjak-gu, Seoul on the 24th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Meanwhile, at the 'Political Reform at the Eye Level of Fellow Citizens' urgent discussion meeting that day, Chairman Han said, "If doing what the majority of the public has wished for decades is populism, then I am willing to be a populist."

Since taking office, Chairman Han has proposed five political reform measures including the waiver of parliamentary immunity by lawmakers, returning salaries during trial periods if sentenced to imprisonment or higher, a no-nomination policy in by-elections caused by party responsibility, reducing the number of lawmakers by 50, and banning the practice of receiving political funds through book launch events.

Chairman Han emphasized, "Even though the People Power Party talks about things that are not new, there is a reason the public has expectations. They believe we will genuinely follow through," adding, "There is talk that after the general election things will fizzle out, but that is not the case with us. We have already included three of the five reform measures as conditions for nomination and are set to receive pledges."