Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Opposition shows mixed responses to ruling party's new interim head
Former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon speaks during his resignation ceremony at the ministry's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is showing mixed responses after the ruling People Power Party (PPP) named former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, who is viewed as a protégé of President Yoon Suk Yeol, as the party's interim head.
Some DPK members are saying that Han’s nomination is a chance to step up its criticisms of the president’s excessive grip on the PPP and evoke negative public sentiment against the Yoon administration. On the other hand, others say that the DPK should be wary of the impact of Han’s political debut, citing it as a loss to President Yoon during the presidential election last year.
Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won, a senior DPK member, wrote on Facebook on Thursday night that Han’s acceptance of the PPP interim leadership is “the best Christmas gift from President Yoon.”
“Han has many nicknames such as Yoon’s avatar, heir apparent and younger twin brother. This younger brother seeks to control the PPP and create a republic of prosecutors, but the people will not allow that," he wrote.
A day earlier, the ruling party named Han as its emergency committee chief, meaning the party’s interim leader, as the party needs fresh leadership to salvage itself from a pessimistic outlook for the general elections slated for April. Han stepped down from the justice minister post after the nomination, saying he wants to “prepare the future of the country.”
An outspoken former prosecutor, Han is described as one of the figures who best understands Yoon. Han has worked with Yoon — also a former prosecutor — in multiple investigation teams at the prosecution. He enjoyed high popularity among conservative voters due to his neat styling, smart rhetoric and unyielding stance during arguments with opposition lawmakers after becoming the first justice minister of the Yoon administration.
Optimists among the DPK see this as a chance to step up its criticism against the ruling bloc and evoke negative sentiment.
In recent months, the PPP has been criticized for becoming a mouthpiece of the president, and Han’s leadership is triggering concerns that the party may be more submissive to the administration in terms of pending political affairs, such as the DPK’s push to launch a special counsel investigation into first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Also, optimists cast a rosy outlook that Han, viewed as a protégé of Yoon, will limit the PPP’s efforts to canvass centrist voters because Han’s support base overlaps with that of Yoon.
Due to this, DPK Rep. Woo Sang-ho said in a radio interview with broadcaster MBC on Wednesday that “for the DPK, Han’s interim leadership is somewhat desirable” because “Han has limits that the DPK can use for political framing.”
DPK Supreme Council member Rep. Jung Chung-rae also said on Tuesday that “it's not a bad thing for the opposition when the number of targets increases,” adding he “welcomes” Han. The DPK’s fringe group, Principle and Common Sense, said in a statement it released on Thursday that “the PPP’s support rate is now synchronized with that of Yoon” and “it is an opportunity for the DPK.”
Former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, center, receives applause from Ministry of Justice officials during his resignation ceremony at the ministry's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Yonhap
However, voices are expressing that Han’s political debut is something that the DPK should be wary of.
DPK Rep. Park Yong-jin said in an interview with broadcaster SBS that “the public will be asking about what the DPK is doing while the PPP is striving to refresh itself,” adding that DPK Chairman Lee Jae-myung should come up with “plans” to counter the PPP’s move.
DPK Rep. Jung Sung-ho also wrote on Facebook Friday that Han is “not like President Yoon” and he is “capable of reforming the ruling party based on sharp analysis and strong executive power.”
Against the backdrop, a fresh survey indicated that Han is outpacing DPK Chairman Lee in a poll about the preferred next president.
According to a survey released by Korea Public Reputation Analysis on Friday, 45 percent of 1,006 respondents said that they prefer Han as the next president, outpacing the DPK chairman with 41 percent.
In a separate question on preference, Han secured 47 percent to outdo Lee with 42 percent. The poll surveyed 1,006 adults from Dec. 20 to 21, and further details are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission’s website.