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.
Yoon accepts PPP's calls to summon ambassador to address probe controversy
President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during the 51st Commerce and Industry Day ceremony at 63 Convention Center in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
President, ruling party move to patch up discord as support for ruling party weakens
Korea's Ambassador to Australia Lee Jong-sup will make a brief return to Korea later this month amid growing criticism directed at the government for permitting his departure despite an ongoing investigation into allegations that he exerted undue influence in a case involving the death of a soldier.
The brief return comes in response to a request from ruling People Power Party (PPP) interim leader Han Dong-hoon for Lee to return and face questioning. This request has sparked discord with the presidential office, compounded by other issues such as remarks from a senior presidential secretary that were perceived as intimidating a journalist.
President Yoon Suk Yeol agreeing to Lee's return is perceived as an apparent effort to mitigate the escalation of discord into a potentially serious conflict, particularly with less than a month remaining before the general elections. Analysts suggest that these actions are indicative of Yoon's willingness to accommodate the ruling party, assisting its efforts to bolster diminishing support.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that Lee will return to Korea for a March 25 meeting between the heads of Korea's overseas missions in six countries that have defense industry partnerships with Seoul.
Along with Lee, Korean ambassadors to Saudi Arabia, Poland and other countries will attend the meeting, the foreign ministry said.
Gathering ambassadors to specific countries before the annual meeting of Korea's overseas diplomatic missions is a rare event. The annual meeting is scheduled for late next month.
Then-Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup attends a Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex Seoul, Aug. 14, 2023. Yonhap
Lee, a former defense minister, has been under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) over allegations that he interfered in the military's probe into the death of a Marine. Although he previously faced an overseas travel ban, the justice ministry lifted the restriction on March 8. Lee flew to Australia on March 10 to begin his term on March 12.
The presidential office had said that Lee’s appointment was “appropriate and just,” highlighting that the CIO had not summoned Lee over the past six months. However, Han and other prominent PPP candidates voiced concerns that the appointment "falls short of public expectations." They feared negative repercussions on the ruling party's election campaigns, particularly as opinion polls indicated that the issue was influencing voters' perceptions.
It remains uncertain whether the CIO will summon Lee during the ambassador’s stay in Seoul. Lee reportedly sent a letter to the CIO about his intention to appear for questioning, asking the investigative authority to fix a date promptly.
Hwang Sang-moo, senior presidential secretary for civil and social agenda, speaks during a press conference at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Dec. 20, 2023. Yonhap
This criticism was compounded by the PPP's condemnation of senior presidential secretary for civil and social agenda, Hwang Sang-moo, for his remarks that were perceived as threatening press freedom.
The presidential office said in a text message to reporters on Wednesday morning that Yoon accepted Hwang's resignation. The office did not reveal when Hwang offered to resign.
The resignation came six days after Hwang mentioned an incident in 1988 involving agents from the Korea Defense Intelligence Command (KDIC) attacking a reporter who had criticized the military. The comments, made during a luncheon with reporters, were directed at broadcaster MBC, which has been critical of Yoon.
After Hwang’s remarks were reported, opposition parties and even members of the PPP criticized Hwang for his remarks and urged Yoon to dismiss him.
The PPP leader said on Sunday that Hwang “must decide whether to retain his position” and urged on Tuesday that “we need to be more sensitive about public sentiment before the elections.”
Initially, the presidential office ruled out any punishment for Hwang, issuing a statement asserting that "the government has never investigated journalists or initiated tax probes on media companies, and it has no intention or mechanism to do so."
However, the office received growing pressure from the PPP to dismiss Hwang and finally caved in.
People Power Party interim leader Han Dong-hoon, center, gestures during a canvassing event in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps
Choreographed fight?
Wednesday's developments are perceived as Yoon's gesture to demonstrate his willingness to yield to the ruling party, enabling the PPP chief to claim that it is listening to the voice of the public.
“All recent matters of disappointment, including the issues surrounding the senior secretary and the ambassador, were resolved today,” Han said during a canvassing event in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. “It is our responsibility to listen to the voice of the public and become humbler before the general elections.”
Pundits said the president's actions are aimed at patching up conflicts between the administration and the ruling party. However, some perceive these actions as giving the impression that the two sides are engaged in "a choreographed fight" to revive the ruling bloc's election momentum.
“This gives the impression that the ruling bloc orchestrated the dispute, especially considering that the PPP chief initially supported the ambassador's appointment but changed his stance to criticism after the party's support rate declined," political commentator Rhee Jong-hoon said.
"As soon as Han said so, Yoon’s loyalists, such as PPP candidate Kim Eun-hye, joined the protest. It seems natural to assume that the presidential office and the PPP at least had shared their opinions over the exit strategy.”
Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, also said Yoon might have thought that “the situation will become too bad for the PPP if he continues refusing the party’s calls.”
“The conflict could have been a choreographed dispute, because the two moves saved the faces of both Yoon and Han,” Shin said. “Whether it is planned or not, the point is that the president has set the environment for the PPP to criticize the main opposition again by saying ‘we are different from the DPK.’ And how to use this situation is up to the ruling party.”
Despite Yoon's conciliatory gesture, it remains uncertain whether the ruling party can sustain its election campaign without further internal discord.
Later in the day, Rep. Lee Chul-gyu, a close aide to the president, held a press conference to denounce Han and other PPP leadership members for the party's selection of proportional representation candidates that he described as "not transparent." Lee also said the leadership should "correct the list."
The two-term lawmaker, also a member of the PPP nomination committee, has expressed dissatisfaction over the proportional representation list. He stated that he recommended Joo Ki-hwan, the former head of the PPP's regional headquarters in Gwangju who also served Yoon during the presidential election. However, the party leadership ranked Joo 24th on the list, a position that may not secure him a seat in the National Assembly.
"I told the party floor leader that I cannot side with the leadership as long as candidates are nominated unilaterally behind closed doors," Lee said.