"Yoon Again" Retaliation vs. Lack of Sincere Reflection
On January 18, former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon maintained his previous stance that the disciplinary action related to the party member bulletin board (Party Board) incident involving his family was political retaliation, drawing mixed reactions within the party.
In a 2-minute and 5-second video posted on Facebook that day, Han said, "As we approach a crucial election that will overcome martial law and rein in the Democratic Party administration's runaway behavior, I am greatly concerned that seeing such scenes of political retaliation will cause many people to withdraw their support for our party."
Park Junghoon, a lawmaker close to Han, shared Han's video on Facebook, stating, "It takes great courage to offer a sincere apology. There were unimaginable illegalities during the party work audit and the Ethics Committee's disciplinary process, but I am truly grateful to former leader Han for showing courage nonetheless. I hope this decision will serve as a cornerstone for normalizing the party."
Shin Jiho, former Vice President for Strategic Planning, wrote on Facebook, "The Party Board is merely a pretext; the essence of the issue is the hatred and retaliation of the 'Yoon Again' faction against Han Dong-hoon, who blocked martial law and supported impeachment. The focus of a political solution should be here. We must not make the mistake of turning the Party Board issue into a major controversy and thereby undermining constitutional values."
Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon is leaving the press conference after expressing his position regarding the party's Ethics Committee's decision to expel him on the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News
On the other hand, figures from the leadership, including those aligned with leader Jang Donghyuk, stated that Han's description of the disciplinary action as political retaliation and his lack of a sufficient apology were problematic.
Song Eonseok, the party's floor leader, responded to reporters' questions about Han's message at a press conference held at the National Assembly that afternoon, saying, "Many have pointed out that it is only right to sincerely reflect on and apologize for past behavior. Han should reconsider how many people are interpreting the content of his post."
Jang Yechang, Deputy Director of the Yeouido Institute, commented on Facebook, "There is nothing in the message about what he did wrong or the extent to which he acknowledges responsibility. He appears to be pretending to apologize because public opinion is against him, but he does not want to admit any wrongdoing-this is truly a 'golden child' attitude."
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