Park Ji-won: "Han Deok-su Cannot Endure Presidential Run... A Greenhouse Orchid-Type Person"

"Hong Junpyo and Kim Moonsoo as Presidential Candidates for People Power Party...
Big Tent Coalition Unlikely"

Park Ji-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, commented on the possibility of Han Deok-su, the Acting President and Prime Minister, running for the presidential election, saying, "He won't be able to endure it," and added, "Would someone who has grown like an orchid in a greenhouse as a bureaucrat take on such a challenge?"

On the 15th, on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' Park said, "Acting President Han is indecisive and timid," and "He has not been trained as a politician." He also said, "Even former President Yoon Seok-youl, who came from outside, was elected but did not succeed," and questioned, "Han Deok-su also does not understand politics. Will he really succeed?"

Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Photo by Yonhap News

Regarding the ruling party's move to nominate Acting President Han as a presidential candidate, he argued, "This is not a Han Deok-su draft theory but a Han Deok-su stopgap theory," and said, "He will become the second Ban Ki-moon." He stated, "The People Power Party is certain to lose, so they want to use Acting President Han as a stopgap, a disposable band-aid," and added, "Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon once had very high approval ratings." During the 19th presidential election held after the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in 2017, Ban was considered a strong presidential candidate, ranking first in preference polls, but he declared he would not run just 20 days after starting his campaign.

He further claimed, "The Han Deok-su draft theory is the work of Yoon Geon-hee (the wife of former President Yoon and Kim Geon-hee)," and said, "That shadow can be seen in Acting President Han's movements." He explained, "Former President Yoon is said to have a dream of acting as Daewongun (a title given to the biological father of a king who ascended the throne as a collateral relative) while engaging in politics outside the palace," and added, "Former President Yoon tried to appoint his law school classmate as a Constitutional Court justice but failed due to internal opposition, and Acting President Han accepted and nominated him, which shows Yoon Geon-hee's influence." Acting President Han nominated Lee Wan-gyu, the head of the Legislation Office, as a candidate for Constitutional Court justice on the 8th; Lee is a classmate of former President Yoon at Seoul National University Law School, class of '79.

Regarding the 'Big Tent Theory' emerging from the ruling party, he predicted, "A third zone within conservative forces itself is difficult." Park evaluated, "Every election, the Big Tent Theory and third zone tent theory come up, but they have no substance," and said, "The chances of those mentioned winning the presidency are also slim." He continued, "I think the final presidential candidates from the People Power Party will be either former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo or former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo, but both are fierce fighters," and argued, "Since there will be no concessions, a third zone itself will be difficult."