Accumulating 'Kim Geon-hee Risk'... Yoon and Han Compete on Their Own Paths

Yoon Holds Dinner with People Power Party Leadership in Yongsan... Han Dong-hoon Excluded
'Kim Dae-nam Recording' Released... New Conflict Trigger
Opposition's Offensive Intensifies While Ruling Party Remains Divided
Yongsan 'Negative' Despite Calls for 'Mrs. Kim's Apology'

President Yoon Suk-yeol is walking together with Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, and others at a dinner hosted for current and former leaders of the People Power Party held on July 24 in front of the Fine Glass at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Following allegations of Kim Geon-hee's interference in the party convention, rumors of Yongsan's backing behind the 'attack on Han Dong-hoon' have surfaced, amplifying risks surrounding Kim both inside and outside the ruling party. Amid this, President Yoon Suk-yeol and People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon have once again shown signs of division over the 'dinner passing' controversy, leading to analyses that the ruling party's split is accelerating.

According to the Blue House and People Power Party on the 2nd, President Yoon held a dinner that evening inviting the ruling party's floor leader Choo Kyung-ho, policy chief Kim Sang-hoon, floor deputy leader Bae Jun-young, and other standing committee chairs and secretaries. Leader Han, who is outside the National Assembly, was excluded. The Blue House stated that since the dinner was intended to encourage floor members ahead of the National Assembly audit, it was "not a passing over of Han Dong-hoon." However, President Yoon ignored Han's repeated requests for private meetings and continued to hold separate communication sessions with senior ruling party lawmakers around Chuseok, highlighting the 'Yoon-Han (Yoon Suk-yeol and Han Dong-hoon) conflict' once again.

In particular, the recent release of a phone recording of Kim Dae-nam, standing auditor of SGI Seoul Guarantee Insurance (former senior administrative officer at the Blue House), saying "If you hit Han Dong-hoon, Kim Geon-hee will be pleased," has intensified the uncomfortable atmosphere between President Yoon and Leader Han mediated by Kim. Han Ji-ah, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, said on the day, "We will investigate the truth through necessary procedures at the party level and hold those responsible strictly accountable." Meanwhile, a Blue House official rebutted, saying, "It is inappropriate for (Han Dong-hoon's side) to even mention backing rumors."

Additionally, on the 2nd, President Yoon exercised his veto power on the special investigation laws concerning Kim Geon-hee and Chae Sang-byeong, as well as the local currency law. The Blue House had long planned to exercise the veto on Kim Geon-hee's special investigation law, stating it violated the constitutional principle of separation of powers, and was only coordinating the timing. The Democratic Party plans to hold a plenary session to re-vote and escalate the 'Kim Geon-hee special investigation' offensive.

Within the ruling party, voices are emerging that Kim Geon-hee should apologize directly ahead of the National Assembly audit starting on the 7th, as suspicions related to her continue to grow. Shin Ji-ho, deputy head of strategic planning for the People Power Party and a close ally, pressured the day before, saying, "If (Kim Geon-hee) offers a sincere apology that lowers the public's anger gauge, it could help defend against and manage the opposition's offensive."

However, it is known that within the Blue House, the atmosphere strongly suggests that it is difficult for Kim Geon-hee to apologize immediately. A ruling party official said, "With ongoing investigations by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and others into Kim Geon-hee, if she apologizes, criticism may arise again that 'she was given a guideline.'"