Han Dong-hoon Restarting Comeback, Jo Won-jin Says "No Place... Just Someone Who Will Disappear"

Han Dong-hoon Signals Return by Meeting Party and Non-Party Figures
Jo Won-jin: "90% of People Power Party Supporters Back Yoon"
"Supporters Believe Han Dong-hoon Is Responsible for Their Difficulties"

Jo Won-jin, leader of the Our Republican Party, criticized former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon’s recent moves on the 4th, saying, "There is no place for Han Dong-hoon." Jo appeared on YTN radio's 'Kim Young-soo's News Fighting' that day and, referring to the meeting between former leader Han and former emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in, said, "President Yoon Seok-yeol's approval is approaching 50%, and 90% of People Power Party supporters are backing President Yoon," expressing this view.

Jo stated, "There is no impact on the political landscape," adding, "The People Power Party supporters see Han Dong-hoon as the one who has made things difficult for the people. I believe (former leader Han) running for president is meaningless and that he will just disappear," reiterating his claim.

Handonghun, leader of the People Power Party, is holding a press conference to resign from his position as leader at the National Assembly on December 16 last year. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

After the impeachment crisis against President Yoon, former leader Han, who had kept a low profile, reportedly met consecutively with conservative commentator Jo Gap-je, who has voiced criticism of President Yoon, former National Assembly Secretary-General Yoo In-tae, and former emergency committee chairman Kim during the Lunar New Year holiday. Han is said to have sought advice from them regarding the impeachment situation and his future political moves.

On the 24th of last month, Jin Jong-oh, a pro-Han Dong-hoon (Pro-Han) faction member of the National Assembly, posted a photo of a meeting with former leader Han on social media, revealing interactions with party insiders. Pro-Han figures within the People Power Party, including Assemblyman Kim Sang-wook and former spokesperson Park Sang-soo, recently launched a YouTube channel named ‘Under73,’ which shares its name with a group representing former leader Han, who was born in 1973.

On the morning of December 14 last year, Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, approached Kim Sang-wook, a member of the People Power Party who was holding a solo protest in front of the National Assembly main building urging support for impeachment, and untied the red scarf around his own neck to wrap it around Kim. Photo by Yonhap News

On the same day, Assemblyman Kim appeared on CBS radio’s ‘Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show’ and said, “This is not Han’s statement but just my personal opinion,” forecasting that “(former leader Han) will make a move around this weekend or next week.”

He added, “In presidential elections, the hardline supporters on both sides consolidate, so ultimately the moderate voters decide the president,” and asked, “Would moderates vote for those who supported martial law and opposed impeaching the president?” He continued, “Someone who can reasonably persuade the moderates by embracing not only conservative ideology but also progressive ideology is needed. But can Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo or Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo do that?” He concluded, “In the end, the conservative options seem limited to former leader Han, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and former Assemblyman Yoo Seung-min.”

He also claimed, “Although recent polls show an increase in People Power Party support, this is a bad kind of support,” and argued, “Raising support by provoking social conflicts and reinforcing factional logic is corrosive to society and the nation.” He emphasized, “We must sever ties with President Yoon, who violated the constitution and betrayed democracy and conservative values. For the sake of conservative values, democracy, and the people, we must renew ourselves.”