Yoon Seok-yeol and Han Dong-hoon Meeting Escalates Passport Conflict [AK Radio]

Ends Without Clear Results, Aftermath Within the Ruling Party
Conflict Deepens Revealing Perception Gaps Regarding First Lady Kim Geon-hee

President Yoon Suk-yeol and People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon met on the 21st, but the meeting ended without any clear achievements, only confirming the differences in their positions. In particular, the gap in perceptions regarding issues related to First Lady Kim Geon-hee became apparent, further deepening conflicts within the ruling party.

The meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office was attended by Chief Presidential Secretary Jeong Jin-seok. Before the meeting, President Yoon and Leader Han took a 10-minute walk and talked in front of the Yongsan Children's Garden. The Presidential Office also showed consideration by preparing zero-calorie cola, taking into account Leader Han's preferences.

Leader Han's main demands were ▲ personnel reshuffle of the so-called 'Hannam-dong line' ▲ restraint in First Lady Kim Geon-hee's activities ▲ resolution of various suspicions. In response, President Yoon drew a line by stating, "The appointing authority is the president." Regarding the 'Hannam-dong line,' he rebutted, "If there is a substance, present specific circumstances," and emphasized, "There is only the Presidential Office line in the Presidential Office." Some sources claimed that Leader Han specifically named eight current and former presidential aides targeted for replacement.

Regarding First Lady Kim Geon-hee's activities, President Yoon stated, "She is already refraining from official activities." The Presidential Office explained, "Apart from essential protocol activities as First Lady, she is refraining and will continue to maintain this stance."

On various suspicions, the position was maintained that "what can be clarified through investigation will be clarified, but raising suspicions without specific circumstances is problematic." This highlighted the clear difference in perspectives between the two sides regarding 'raising suspicions' and 'substantive truth.'

Leader Han canceled the scheduled briefing and went home immediately. Instead, Park Jeong-ha, the party leader's secretary, held a phone briefing, during which communication discrepancies between the two sides were also revealed. It is known that the Presidential Office wanted a structure where Leader Han would first state his position and then receive a response.

What particularly intensified the controversy was the dinner held immediately after the meeting between President Yoon and Floor Leader Chu Kyung-ho. Chu's side explained, "We had dinner first in Yeouido and attended at the president's request," calling it a "routine meeting with lawmakers," but the timing was criticized as inappropriate.

Inside the Presidential Office, a sense of crisis is rising as approval ratings decline and various suspicions overlap ahead of the midterm point. Accordingly, they are formalizing the establishment of the Second Secretariat in early November and expressing willingness to appoint a special inspector based on bipartisan agreement.

At the meeting, President Yoon requested the ruling party's support, saying, "I hope the party will fight together." This is interpreted as expecting full support from the party under the perception that the current situation stems from "absurd suspicions or excessive political calculations."

The possibility of re-passing the special investigation law on Kim Geon-hee has emerged as the biggest variable in the political landscape. Since some ruling party lawmakers defected in the previous vote, the Presidential Office is reportedly not ruling out the worst-case scenario.

Within the ruling party, conflicts have deepened after this meeting. President Yoon and Leader Han are sticking to their respective political judgments and solutions. On the 22nd, during a visit to Beomeosa Temple in Busan, President Yoon said, "Although it is a difficult situation, I consider it karma. I will endure even if stones are thrown." Leader Han said, "I will only look to the people." The prevailing view is that finding common ground will not be easy.

A Presidential Office official said, "To overcome the current crisis, the party and the Presidential Office must put their heads together and find a compromise," but also predicted, "It will not be easy to resolve the issue related to First Lady Kim Geon-hee due to the large gap in positions between the two sides."

Since the two key pillars of the ruling party, President Yoon and Leader Han, only confirmed their differences, how to bridge this gap has become the ruling party's biggest challenge. Especially as the midterm point approaches, if this conflict continues, it is expected to cause significant disruptions in state administration. Political uncertainty has increased further.