Handonghun Avoids 'Dangwon Bulletin Board' and Focuses Offensive on 'Lee Jaemyung Verdict'

117 Mentions of the Democratic Party and 57 Mentions of Lee Jae-myung in 2 Weeks
Ruling Party Fails to Gain Reflexive Benefits Despite Leader Lee's Prison Sentence

The People Power Party has not been able to reap any windfall benefits from the judicial risks (negative factors) materializing for Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, due to the controversy surrounding the 'party members' bulletin board.' Within the party, there is a sharp divide between those who believe that Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, has not provided clear explanations regarding himself and his family, and those who think there is little issue at hand. Leader Han has been avoiding comments related to the party members' bulletin board and is instead focusing on the successive rulings against Lee.

Handonghun, the leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on November 25. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Democratic Party 117 times, Lee Jae-myung 57 times... Silence on the party members' bulletin board

Based on Lee's first trial ruling on the Public Official Election Act on the 15th, an analysis was conducted on Leader Han's official statements and posts on social networking services (SNS) over two weeks. During this period, Han mentioned the Democratic Party 117 times and Lee Jae-myung 57 times. Additionally, he mentioned judges 60 times and intimidation 57 times, concentrating his offensive on the realization of Lee's judicial risks.

In the week before the 15th, Leader Han mentioned Lee 30 times, and after the first trial ruling, he mentioned Lee 27 times. Also, while Han did not mention perjury coaching during the same period before the 15th, he brought it up 14 times after the 15th. This appears to be in consideration of Lee's first trial ruling on perjury coaching scheduled for the 25th. During this period, Han did not make any statements related to the party members' bulletin board in official settings and only responded to reporters' questions after official remarks.

Ruling party fails to gain windfall despite Lee's prison sentence... Internal strife continues

Within the ruling party, there was an expectation that the atmosphere might improve after Lee received a prison sentence of one year with two years probation, resulting in loss of his parliamentary seat in the first trial of the Public Official Election Act. However, according to a survey conducted by Korea Gallup from the 19th to the 21st among 1,001 voters nationwide aged 18 and over, the People Power Party's party support rate rose by only 1 percentage point from the previous week to 28%. This is interpreted as the party not fully benefiting from the windfall due to the lack of clear answers regarding the party members' bulletin board issue.

When asked about his stance on the party members' bulletin board controversy over the past two weeks, Leader Han responded, "There is no need to create unnecessary discord and promote division," "I will leave it at what has already been said," and "A thorough investigation will be conducted, and the truth will be revealed." He did not respond to questions about whether his family wrote defamatory posts about President Yoon Seok-yeol and his spouse, as raised by some in the pro-Yoon faction.

Although Lee's sentencing is scheduled again on the same day following the 15th, internal strife related to the party members' bulletin board within the ruling party is expected to continue for some time. The pro-Han faction insists that this is merely an attempt to 'kill Han Dong-hoon' and that there is no real problem. On the other hand, the pro-Yoon faction argues that Leader Han should clarify his position more explicitly to create a situation that is acceptable to the public. Kim Eun-hye, a lawmaker and former presidential office spokesperson, criticized on her SNS the day before, saying, "Where has the sharp and decisive Leader Han gone?" and "Whether it is something that cannot be disclosed or something he lacks the confidence to disclose, it is incomprehensible why something simple for party members and the public becomes difficult in front of the party leader."