'Ruling Party's Potential Leaders' Han Dong-hoon and Won Hee-ryong Had Dinner Yesterday... Keen on Discussing the Party Leadership Election

Former Chairman Han and Former Minister Won Meet at an Undisclosed Location in Seoul
Ruling Party Official: "Difficult to Confirm the Topic of Conversation"

It was confirmed on the 13th that Han Dong-hoon, former Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, and Won Hee-ryong, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, had a dinner meeting on the 12th.

According to the ruling party, former Chairman Han and former Minister Won had dinner together at a restaurant in Dogok-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the previous afternoon. A ruling party official said, "It is true that former Chairman Han and former Minister Won met," adding, "It is difficult to confirm the topics of their conversation."

During the April 10 general election, former Chairman Han visited Incheon Gyeyang-eul, where former Minister Won ran for office, to support his campaign, and also dined at a restaurant where a controversy over Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and beef arose.

Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, attended the 'Incheon City Party New Year's Meeting' held at Incheon Caris Hotel on the 16th. After delivering his greeting, he embraced Won Hee-ryong, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

This is the first confirmed case of former Chairman Han meeting and dining with politicians other than Kim Hyung-dong, a member of the National Assembly who was a People Power Party emergency committee member and secretary-general, and party officials since the People Power Party's defeat in the general election.

Although he has minimized public appearances since the party's defeat, recent sightings of him at Yangjae Library and meetings with former Minister Won have led to interpretations that former Chairman Han is preparing for a political comeback.

The political circle is paying attention to the possibility that former Chairman Han and former Minister Won discussed matters related to the People Power Party, such as the upcoming party convention to elect the next party leader and leadership.

According to a public opinion poll conducted by Ace Research, a professional polling agency, commissioned by Newsis over two days from the 8th to the 9th (targeting 1,000 men and women nationwide aged 18 and over), the suitability ratings for People Power Party leadership candidates showed former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min leading with 28%, followed by former Chairman Han at 26%. Former Minister Won recorded 7%.

However, among the 34% of respondents who identified themselves as People Power Party supporters, former Chairman Han's suitability rating was overwhelmingly high at 48%, with former Minister Won following at 13%.

This survey was conducted using an automated response system (ARS) with 100% randomly extracted mobile phone virtual numbers. The sampling error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, and the response rate was 1.5%. For more details, please refer to the website of the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission.