Han Donghoon Directly Hits Back: "Step Back from Elections? What Sacrifices Have They Made?"

On the 26th, former People Power Party leader Han Donghoon rejected calls from some within the party for him to "step back from the local elections and serve in a non-candidate role," asking in response, "What sacrifices have they made so far?"

On Facebook the same day, Han said, "Even after former President Yoon Sukyeol was sentenced to life imprisonment, there are people who went so far as to hold a press conference to say that the impeachment was wrong and that it was my responsibility, effectively defending the imposition of martial law," adding, "When I was expelled, they stayed silent or sided with it, and now they tell me to sacrifice myself and step back in order to help the pro-leadership faction."

On Jan. 29, after the People Power Party confirmed the expulsion of former leader Han Donghoon, Han Donghoon, former People Power Party leader, is leaving the National Assembly press briefing room after delivering a statement. 2026.1.29 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

He went on, "I want to ask what they were doing while former President Yoon was defying public sentiment, running amok, and even imposing martial law, driving the conservative camp into crisis; what sacrifices they have made from then until now; and what sacrifices they will make in the future."

Earlier, Assemblyman Kim Seokki had called for Han to step back in a non-candidate role at a press conference at the National Assembly, saying, "Can we win the local elections just by ousting leader Jang Donghyuk?" He said, "If former leader Han acknowledges his responsibility, reflects on himself, and goes to support candidates in difficult constituencies, the electoral landscape could change."

In a KBS radio interview on the same day, when asked about the possibility of running in a parliamentary by-election, Han said, "Didn’t leader Jang say he would come up with a strategy to block me?" and added, "I will not act on the premise of running in a specific constituency." He continued, "Will the people really vote for a faction that insists on a path that is obviously headed for defeat?" and stressed, "Right now, breaking with the Yoon Sukyeol line is the first condition for moving toward the future."

Regarding calls within the party to discipline the lawmakers who accompanied him on his visit to Seomun Market in Daegu, he said, "That is only a minority opinion," and criticized, "A particular faction turning the party into its private vehicle and running it like a people's tribunal does not fit the spirit of a conservative party."