Presidential Office on 'Mrs. Kim Text Controversy': "Will Not Intervene in Any Way in the People Power Party Leadership Election"

"Did not interfere in the election and will not do so in the future"
"Urged caution to avoid involving the election"
Presidential Office's stance on Han Dong-hoon and Kim Yeo-sa controversy

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Han Dong-hoon, a candidate for the People Power Party leadership, are listening to the commemorative speech by Kang Seok-ho, President of the Korea Freedom Federation, at the 70th anniversary ceremony of the Korea Freedom Federation held on the 4th at Namdong Gymnasium in Incheon.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Presidential Office stated on the 7th that "it did not intervene or interfere in any way during the People Power Party's party convention election process and will not do so in the future."

A senior official from the Presidential Office said on the same day, "We especially ask each candidate and their campaign staff to be careful not to involve the Presidential Office in the election process."

The official explained, "The Presidential Office is waiting for the choice of party members and the public," and added, "We will faithfully follow the orders of the party members and the public as reflected in the results of the party convention."

The reason the Presidential Office issued this statement is due to a recent controversy ahead of the People Power Party's party convention representative primary, where candidate Han Dong-hoon was accused of not responding to a text message from First Lady Kim Geon-hee, who intended to apologize to the public regarding the 'luxury bag acceptance controversy.'

After this issue surfaced, candidate Han responded, "At this point in time, deliberately creating such a story is an abnormal party convention and party affairs interference, which many people might consider a dangerous act."

In fact, other People Power Party leadership candidates collectively criticized candidate Han's 'ignoring the text' controversy involving First Lady Kim.

Candidate Won Hee-ryong said, "He needs to relearn the basics of politics," candidate Yoon Sang-hyun pointed out, "He should have naturally responded to the text," and candidate Na Kyung-won criticized it as "an inappropriate act."

For the Presidential Office, since this incident could spark further controversy that it intervened again in the People Power Party's party convention, it is interpreted that they reiterated the principle of "not intervening in any way."