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Interest is growing in the pool of Supreme Councilor candidates who will challenge former Emergency Response Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon’s dominant position in the People Power Party (PPP) leadership election. This is because the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) faction is reportedly planning to field candidates for Supreme Councilor who can check the party leader and curb Han’s solo run.

According to the PPP on the 18th, registration for party leader and Supreme Councilor candidates for the upcoming leadership election on the 24th-25th will take place. The PPP Supreme Council consists of a total of six members: four elected Supreme Councilors, one party leader-appointed member, and a youth Supreme Councilor. According to the PPP’s party constitution and regulations, if four or more of the five elected Supreme Councilors resign or the positions become vacant, the leadership is dissolved.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

First, the pro-Han (pro-Han Dong-hoon) faction is expected to field former Emergency Response Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon along with Jang Dong-hyuk, the chief floor spokesman, in the leadership election. Jang was a first-term lawmaker during Han’s tenure but served as the party secretary-general. Recently, Jang expressed strong support for Han’s candidacy. When asked about Han’s run, he said, "There are risks, but running according to the wishes of many is a demonstration of political responsibility," and when questioned about Han’s limitations as an external candidate, he retorted, "He can be Emergency Response Committee Chairman, so why can’t he be party leader?"

To counter this, the pro-Yoon faction is conducting behind-the-scenes efforts to field Supreme Councilor candidates. Names being floated include lawmakers Kim Jeong-jae, Yoo Sang-beom, and Cho Jeong-hoon, as well as first-term lawmakers Kim Min-jeon, Park Jeong-hoon, and Shin Dong-wook. Lawmaker Cho Ji-yeon is mentioned as a candidate for youth Supreme Councilor. Although they have not made final decisions, they commonly stated that "we are receiving many recommendations from our surroundings." On the same day, Cho Jeong-hoon said on MBC Radio, "He (Han) took responsibility and resigned from the Emergency Response Committee Chairman position, yet his freedom to run was recognized," adding, "Therefore, public opinion should not be created to block others from running," sharpening his stance against Han.

However, there is also a noticeable reluctance within the party to run for Supreme Councilor. So far, only Park Yong-chan, the party head of Yeongdeungpo-eul, and Lee Sang-gyu, the party head of Seoul Seongbuk-eul, both external candidates, have declared their candidacies. A PPP official said, "If Han becomes party leader, there will likely be many clashes between the Blue House and the party, and it will be very difficult for a Supreme Councilor to take a clear stance," adding, "Depending on the situation, there may be times when they have to make unreasonable statements to represent the Blue House, and not many lawmakers in the National Assembly seem willing to take that risk." Another PPP official also conveyed the mood, saying, "Since Han will naturally step down from the party leader position in a year due to his presidential bid, there seems to be little need to enter the Supreme Council now and confront him."