Han Donghoon Talk Concert on the 8th
Over 15,000 Supporters Gather, Demonstrating His Clout
Low Likelihood of Running for a Mayoral or Gubernatorial Post
May Instead Support Metropolitan Area Campaigns from Outside the Party
As internal conflict over disciplinary action continues within the People Power Party, expelled former leader Han Donghoon has reappeared in public. By appearing alongside Assemblywoman Bae Hyunjin at her press conference on the 13th and questioning the legitimacy of the leadership’s disciplinary measures, speculation has again intensified over when he will return to politics and what course he will take.
On the 13th, former leader Han attended Assemblywoman Bae’s press conference held at the National Assembly Communication Hall. That day, the People Power Party’s Ethics Committee handed down a one-year suspension of party membership to Bae, citing the violation of the human rights of a minor child. Bae argued that it was “discipline tainted by political judgment” and expressed that the decision was hard to accept.
Although former leader Han, who was present at the event, did not make any particular comments on site, he claimed through his own social media that Bae’s punishment was a “Communist-style purge,” insisting it was “because of the selfish greed of the ‘Yoon Again’ pro-leadership faction trying to seize the Seoul Metropolitan Chapter’s nomination authority for the local elections.”
Previously, more than 15,000 supporters gathered at the talk concert held by former leader Han on the 8th at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium in Seoul. There, he introduced himself simply as “just Han Donghoon” and delivered the message that he “will not be broken.”
In political circles, this is being interpreted as a de facto clear expression of his intention to return to politics. Attention is now focused not on whether he will return, but on how and when. Observers say the political impact could vary significantly depending on whether he makes a full-scale appearance by running in an election, or instead seeks to expand his influence by offering indirect support from the sidelines.
Those close to former leader Han are said to be reviewing options for his comeback with multiple possibilities open, having confirmed the strength of his support base through this concert. The widely regarded cautious Han is reportedly weighing the pros and cons of several different scenarios.
Han Donghoon, former leader of the People Power Party, was seen standing in front of supporters at a talk concert held on the 8th at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.
To begin with, political observers see the likelihood of former leader Han running in the June 3 local elections as low. Rumors have circulated about potential bids for key mayoral posts such as Daegu, Busan, or Seoul, but the prevailing view is that these scenarios are not very realistic.
Some, including Reform New Party leader Lee Junseok, have even advised him to run as an independent candidate for Seoul mayor, arguing that he needs to prove his influence in politically challenging territory. However, with Mayor Oh Sehoon widely viewed as the leading contender for the Seoul mayoralty, there is considerable concern that if the conservative vote is split, it could trigger a blame game within the conservative camp.
Another scenario is entering the National Assembly through a parliamentary by-election. Among pro-Han figures currently in the Assembly, there is a discernible desire for former leader Han to return to parliament via a by-election. They believe that if he works on rebuilding the party or rallying the conservative base as a sitting lawmaker, his influence could be of a different magnitude.
At present, however, a key limitation is that there are not many by-election constituencies where he can clearly expect a strong chance of victory. The constituencies where National Assembly by-elections have been confirmed to be held concurrently with the June 3 local elections are Incheon Gyeyang-B, Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek-B, South Chungcheong Asan-B, and North Jeolla Gunsan-Gimje-Buan-A, most of which are generally classified as strongholds of the Democratic Party of Korea.
In the end, he would have to target vacancies created in other regions if some incumbent lawmakers run for metropolitan mayor or governor posts. Yet there is also the variable that, due to recent discussions on administrative integration, the number of by-election seats in the Daegu-North Gyeongsang region could shrink more than expected. For this reason, some in political circles argue that a strategy of helping to consolidate the conservative camp, rather than running himself, could actually be more advantageous for former leader Han.
Kim Chongin, former emergency committee chair of the People Power Party, appeared on Channel A radio’s “Political Signal” and lent weight to the possibility that Han will not run, saying, “The very notion that you must run for office in order to do politics is itself mistaken.” People Power Party Assemblyman Sung Iljong similarly said on MBC radio’s “Kim Jongbae’s Focus” that “(Former leader Han) should not run, and I think he must not run,” adding, “Even considering his future political standing, contributing to a conservative victory is the right move in the bigger picture.”
Some in political circles also interpret that if former leader Han had intended to jump directly into this election, he would have announced his candidacy at the recent concert. There is also speculation that, rather than running himself, he may choose a strategy of shoring up party sentiment by supporting People Power Party basic-level local government candidates on the campaign trail in key battlegrounds such as the Seoul metropolitan area.
A source close to former leader Han said, “Since he confirmed the public’s support at the recent concert, there is absolutely no need for him to rush,” adding, “He is reviewing a variety of possibilities across several different options.”
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