Handonghun "Private Meeting Request, Should It Not Be Reported... Not Smearing or Insulting"

Korea: "The story about spilling is not true"

Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, questioned the criticism from a presidential office official regarding reports that he requested a private meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol, saying, "They say it was leaked, but that is not the case. However, is it a fact that should not be reported that the ruling party leader requested a private meeting with the president?"

When a reporter met Han at the National Assembly that morning and asked about the private meeting request, he responded sharply, "Do you feel that the report on the private meeting request is an attempt to tarnish or insult? I do not think so."

Regarding reports that the presidential office proposed a 'three-person meeting' including Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho instead of a private meeting, Han replied, "Well, who do you think said that?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Also, when asked whether the dinner scheduled for today would proceed as planned, Han answered, "It is a scheduled event." When asked if discussions about the ruling-opposition-parliament-government consultative body would take place at the dinner, he avoided the question, saying, "It is a bit inappropriate to announce in advance what will be discussed inside."

When a reporter asked, "Is the confidential matter discussed yesterday related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee?" Han said, "There are several important matters to discuss, and that is one of them."

Following Han’s remarks, some media outlets reported that matters related to First Lady Kim might be discussed at the dinner. In response, Han Ji-ah, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, issued a statement to the press denying the reports, saying, "Some media reports regarding the agenda of the dinner scheduled today between the president and party leadership are not true," and added, "Han did not make any statements related to the dinner agenda during the back briefing with reporters."

At a meeting with reporters that day, the senior spokesperson also explained, "It is not that (Han) will talk about the First Lady at the dinner," and clarified, "The question was whether the 'difficult-to-disclose content' Han mentioned regarding the private meeting agenda included matters related to the First Lady, and that is what he referred to."