Luxury Bag Bribery and Nomination Interference Allegations Emerge
Yoon's Approval Rating Hits Lowest in Various Polls
Must Stop Distrust Spreading Across Ruling Party
Pro-Kim Faction: "Mrs. Kim's Apology Is Not Enough"
Pro-Yoon Faction: "Public Remarks Inappropriate" Backlash
Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, took a firm stance by stating that Kim Geon-hee, who has emerged as a major risk for the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, should refrain from public activities. This interpretation comes amid concerns that if Kim continues her public appearances amid accumulating controversies and allegations, including suspicions of interference in candidate nominations, it could accelerate public discontent and lead to a regime-level problem. On the other hand, the pro-Yoon faction is opposing this, arguing that such public remarks are causing division within the party and government.
According to political circles on the 10th, after presiding over an on-site Supreme Council meeting at the election office of People Power Party candidate Yoon Il-hyun for the October 16 by-election for the Geumjeong District Office in Busan the previous day, Han expressed agreement with the pro-Han faction's call for Kim to limit her public activities, saying, "I think so too. I believe it is necessary." Although Han had previously requested an apology regarding Kim's luxury handbag controversy, this is the first time he has spoken about her public appearances.
With the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, repeatedly proposing a special investigation law targeting Kim, and allegations of her involvement in candidate nominations through political broker Myeong Tae-gyun sweeping the ruling party, Kim's frequent media exposure is seen as a negative factor. This concern is not only about the risk of losing to the opposition in by-elections such as in Busan's Geumjeong District but also because Kim's risk could become a significant burden at the regime level.
In fact, public opinion polls show that President Yoon Seok-yeol's approval rating has hit a record low. A survey conducted by Dailyan through the polling agency Polling Integrity Co., Ltd. from the 7th to 8th, targeting 1,000 male and female voters nationwide (100% wireless ARS method, with a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, and a response rate of 2.1%), revealed that the positive evaluation of the president's job performance was 25.7% (12.2% very well, 13.5% fairly well), while the negative evaluation was 71.6% (61.5% very poorly, 10.1% fairly poorly), marking the lowest approval rating ever recorded. Seo Yo-han, CEO of Polling Integrity Co., Ltd., analyzed, "This appears to be the result of a combination of negative factors, including the bland empty-handed dinner, the failed private meeting, and the recent Kim Dae-nam?Myeong Tae-gyun incident." It is expected that Han will propose solutions, including an apology from Kim, during a future private meeting with President Yoon.
On the same day, Jeong Seong-guk, a People Power Party lawmaker, appeared on YTN radio and said, "There is talk that some action from the First Lady is necessary now. There is even discussion about whether an apology alone is sufficient," adding, "If she shows a bit more restraint in her activities rather than just apologizing, that sincerity might be accepted and help resolve this issue." Earlier, spokesperson Park Sang-soo also stated on SBS radio the previous day, "In terms of actions rather than words, the fact that the First Lady keeps coming to people's minds is a big burden for the party and government, so I hope she refrains from activities a bit and shows through actions the previously promised establishment of a second secretariat."
Conversely, the pro-Yoon faction views Han's public remarks as a source of instability in party-government relations. On the same day, lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong, in an interview with SBS radio, acknowledged that "there is indeed public opinion for (Kim to limit her public activities)," but questioned, "Was it necessary to discuss this in a public setting? Isn't the president currently on an overseas trip?" He continued, "The president has two and a half years left in his term. However, Han Dong-hoon continues to criticize and attack the president publicly and privately through close aides. How would ordinary citizens perceive this? They would see it as division. What happens if the party and government are divided? The regime will fail to be reestablished." Former Supreme Council member Jang Ye-chan also criticized Han's remarks on MBC radio, saying, "It does not seem like sincere advice but rather a political tactic used as a means to overcome their political isolation."
For detailed information on this public opinion poll, please refer to the website of the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission.
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