Han Donghoon Criticizes President Lee's Absence from NATO Summit: "A Government Advocating Pragmatic Diplomacy Should Not Turn Its Back on Reality"

"Because of the Middle East situation? All the more reason to attend"
"Government should not turn its back on pragmatic diplomacy," critics say

Han Donghoon, former leader of the People Power Party, criticized President Lee Jaemyung's decision not to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit, which will be held in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 24-25. He stated, "A government that claims to pursue pragmatic diplomacy should not turn its back on reality."

Hanjong Hoon, former leader of the People Power Party. Photo by Dongju Yoon

On June 22, Han wrote on his social media, "The decision to skip the NATO Summit should be reconsidered," adding, "Avoidance does not make the problem go away." He continued, "The world is interconnected, but Korean diplomacy will become isolated. Not attending will not allow us to maintain ambiguity; instead, the world will interpret this absence as a clear statement of intent."

Earlier that day, Kang Yoojeong, spokesperson for the presidential office, said, "Despite the many urgent domestic issues since his inauguration, the president has actively considered attending this NATO Summit." She added, "However, after comprehensively considering various domestic issues and uncertainties caused by the situation in the Middle East, it was concluded that it is simply impossible for him to attend in person."

In response, Han argued, "European countries are closely monitoring the Israel-Iran conflict and exerting their influence. We should not skip the summit because of the situation in the Middle East; rather, we should attend precisely because of the Middle East situation." He emphasized, "We must attend for our own security and for stability in Asia," and warned, "The first button of diplomacy is being fastened incorrectly." He concluded, "I hope the Lee Jaemyung administration will reconsider its decision not to attend the NATO Summit."

Meanwhile, ahead of the People Power Party's national convention in August to elect the next party leader, Han has been focusing on expanding the party membership, particularly among lawmakers aligned with him. On the evening of June 21, he held a YouTube live broadcast for about an hour, featuring a hot dog eating segment and discussions about Korean films. The broadcast recorded 530,000 views in just two days. However, there is a split in opinion among Han's supporters and others regarding whether he should run for party leader. Some point out that not only is victory in the leadership race far from guaranteed, but even if he wins, he would be held accountable for the results of next year's local elections, which could be a significant burden.