Who Are the People Expected Around Han Dong-hoon in the Jungyong Administration?

Among 5 Elected Supreme Council Members, 2 Are Pro-Han Faction
Secretary-General and Appointed Supreme Council Member Also Appointed by Han
Non-Assembly Members Active in Camp Likely to Support Political Moves

With Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, taking control of the party leadership, attention is focused on the appointments for high-ranking party positions. While it is expected that key party posts will be replaced by pro-Han faction lawmakers, it is also anticipated that reconciliatory appointments will be made to resolve internal party conflicts.

According to the People Power Party on the 24th, the individuals elected as Supreme Council members and Youth Supreme Council members (under 45 years old) running as Han’s running mates are Assemblyman Jang Dong-hyeok (with a vote share of 20.61%, elected as the top Supreme Council member) and Assemblyman Jin Jong-oh (48.34%). Among the five elected Supreme Council members, two belong to the pro-Han faction, and among the nine members of the leadership (Supreme Council), the party leader can appoint the Policy Committee Chair and nominated Supreme Council members after consulting with the floor leader, enabling Han to firmly control the party. Additionally, Han can appoint the Secretary-General, who manages the party’s affairs.

Jang Dong-hyeok, the newly appointed Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, is delivering an acceptance speech at the 4th Party Convention of the People Power Party held on the 23rd at KINTEX in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Jin Jong-oh, the newly appointed Youth Supreme Committee member of the People Power Party, is delivering his acceptance speech at the 4th Party Convention of the People Power Party held on the 23rd at KINTEX in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Although Han has previously dismissed factional distinctions as "very backward," it is considered a given in political circles that pro-Han figures will take on major roles, as he is recognized as a leading presidential contender from the ruling party. Besides Chief Supreme Council member Jang and Youth Supreme Council member Jin, prominent pro-Han lawmakers include Kim Hyeong-dong and Park Jeong-ha, who have worked closely with Han since the emergency committee period, as well as three-term Assemblyman Song Seok-jun, and first- and second-term lawmakers Bae Hyun-jin, Seo Beom-su, Kim So-hee, Kim Wi-sang, Park Jeong-hoon, Woo Jae-jun, Yoo Yong-won, and Han Ji-a.

On the day after the party convention, Han invited these lawmakers to a camp disbandment ceremony held at an undisclosed location in Yeouido for a dinner together. Han said, “Please help us become a party that can win and respond to public sentiment,” and urged, “Let’s be the core to change the party.”

At the event, Assemblyman Seo also said, “Party members should be able to proudly say they belong to the People Power Party anywhere, but we have not been able to do so,” and added, “Let’s become a party we can be proud of,” which resonated with the lawmakers present, according to an attendee of the disbandment ceremony. Jeong Gwang-jae, the spokesperson who has served as Han’s voice in the camp, also requested Han to pursue a reasonable political path that the public can accept, saying, “I have been considering how far we can defend our party’s logic. I joined because I believed Han would practice politics based on common sense.”

In particular, Chief Supreme Council member Jang, who served as Secretary-General during Han Dong-hoon’s emergency committee, is evaluated to have established himself as a close aide by overseeing the nomination process in the last general election and advising on political affairs and personnel during this party convention. Lawmakers with two or more terms, including Assemblyman Bae, are mentioned as candidates for Secretary-General, who manages the party’s operations.

Former outside members of the ‘Team Han Dong-hoon’ camp are also expected to support Han’s political activities behind the scenes in the future. Former Assemblyman Shin Ji-ho and former People Power Party spokesperson Jeong Gwang-jae served as the camp’s general situation manager and spokesperson, respectively. Kim Jong-hyeok, deputy head of organization and chairman of the Goyang City Byeong district party committee; senior spokesperson Yoon Hee-seok; spokesperson Ho Jun-seok; Park Sang-soo, chairman of the Incheon Seo-gu Gap district party committee; and former Blue House General Affairs Secretary Je Seung-wan also supported Han.

The position of Policy Committee Chair, an ex officio Supreme Council member traditionally held by lawmakers with three or more terms, is likely to be retained by the current chair, Jeong Jeom-sik. This is because retaining Jeong, who belongs to the pro-Yoon faction, could help reconcile conflicts with that faction. In his acceptance speech as party leader the day before, Han stated, “We have the ability and tradition to overcome conflicts and confrontations through intense debate and persuasion in a democratic manner,” and pledged, “That is how we will proceed.”

Handonghun, the General Election Strategy Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is appealing for support for candidate Baehyunjin on the 4th in Seokchon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@