"Want to Be with Han Dong-hoon" Kim Heung-guk Removed as Vice Chairman Over Explicit Ruling Party Support

Violation of Political Neutrality Obligation, etc.
"Not Dismissal but Voluntary Return" Claim

Singer Kim Heung-guk was dismissed from his position as vice president of the Marine Corps Veterans Association due to his public support activities for the People Power Party.

According to reports from CBS No Cut News and others on the 16th, the Marine Corps Veterans Association dismissed Kim Heung-guk from his vice president position on the 12th, citing violations of the political neutrality obligation of veteran members.

Singer and producer Kim Heung-guk is answering questions from the press at the production presentation of the documentary 'And When the White Magnolia Blooms' held on the 14th at The Plaza Seoul Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Kim is a representative entertainer who graduated from the 401st class of the Marine Corps and was appointed vice president of the Marine Corps Veterans Association in 2022.

However, during the 2022 presidential election, he publicly supported President Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, frequently showing his political stance by wearing a red Marine Corps hat and campaigning, which reportedly caused conflicts with the Marine Corps Veterans Association.

During the recent general election phase, Kim attended a ruling party candidate’s election office opening ceremony and openly expressed his support for the People Power Party, saying, "Left-wing entertainers are leading the elections, but right-wing ones are scared and not coming out," and "I am willing to risk my life."

On the 1st, he appeared on a YouTube broadcast hosted by an entertainer and expressed his desire to campaign for the ruling party, saying, "I want to go around with Chairman Han Dong-hoon in this general election."

In response to Kim Heung-guk’s continuous political activities, the Marine Corps Veterans Association posted compliance guidelines on the 8th under the name of the president, stating, "Every election season, some individuals and groups say that the veterans association must support a specific political party for the development of the association," and "We need to deeply consider whether this truly aligns with the development of our military."

Regarding this, Kim said in a media interview, "It is absolutely not a dismissal," and added, "There is a clause in the Marine Corps regulations prohibiting political involvement, so I voluntarily returned the position recently."

He emphasized, "I have loved and promoted the Marine Corps all my life, and I became vice president while serving as a promotional ambassador," and "I voluntarily returned the position according to the regulations because I should not bring disgrace to the Marine Corps."

Meanwhile, on the 11th, Kim established a film production company. He announced that he plans to produce a biographical documentary film about former President Park Chung-hee and his wife.