Han Donghoon Says "We Will Not Abandon the Party"...Urges Supporters to Join as Members

Kim Moonsoo, who was selected as the People Power Party's presidential candidate, is greeting together with candidate Han Donghoon after receiving a bouquet at the People Power Party convention held on the 3rd at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yonhap News

Han Donghoon, former leader of the People Power Party, on May 5 urged his supporters to join the People Power Party as official members.

On his Facebook page that day, Han wrote, "'Join the party'?we will not abandon our party." In the comments of this post, Han personally shared a membership sign-up link and added, "If many people become party members, politics will change. I will continue to try."

Park Jungha, a lawmaker considered part of the pro-Han Donghoon faction, also called for party membership on social media, stating, "We will protect the party." Kim Jonghyuk, former Supreme Council member who served as special advisor chief in Han's presidential primary campaign, wrote, "Join the party! From now on, it is not those people, but we who must protect the party."

Kim Junho, head of the Nowon district chapter in Seoul and former campaign spokesperson, said, "Reading the flood of articles over the weekend, I feel devastated. It is sad that the People Power Party is such a powerless party," and added, "Please join the People Power Party and help gather the seeds and strength for this party to move toward rational pragmatism and centrism."

This encouragement to join the party has been interpreted as both a criticism of the internal tensions over the timing and control of a potential unification between People Power Party candidate Kim Moonsoo and independent preliminary candidate Han Duksoo, and as a possible sign that Han may be considering a bid for party leadership after the presidential election.

However, a source close to Han clarified in a phone call, "This is to support the party's election campaign. The intention is to expand the party's base and encourage Han's supporters not to be discouraged, but to vote for our candidate," drawing a clear line against the interpretation that Han is seeking party leadership. On May 3, at the People Power Party convention to select the party's presidential candidate, Han received a total of 43.47% of the votes (38.75% from party members and 48.19% from public opinion polls), losing to Kim, who received 56.53% (61.25% from party members and 51.81% from public opinion polls).