INTERVIEW Ihn Yo-han calls for grand role of politics befitting global top 10 power
Ihn Yo-han, or John Linton, the election committee head of the ruling People Power Party's satellite party, casts his ballot for early voting at a polling station in Yeouido, Seoul, Friday, for April 10 general elections. Yonhap
A renowned Korean American medical practitioner, celebrated for treating elusive illnesses at a Seoul hospital for three decades, now faces a new task: tackling the diverse range of visible and invisible afflictions plaguing South Korea. He is vying for a seat in the April 10 general elections and if elected, he will become the first parliamentarian with a dual nationality.
It’s not surprising to see John Linton, also known as Ihn Yo-han in Korean, entering the political arena, given his prior leadership role in the innovation committee of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) last October. However, what truly astonished observers was his composed demeanor upon receiving a phone call during an interview with The Korea Times in his office on March 18, informing him of his unexpected eighth position on the list of candidates for a PPP-affiliated party for proportional representation seats.
Ihn’s party is likely to win well over 10 seats, according to political analysts. The interview was repeatedly interrupted by congratulatory calls and messages until he switched his mobile phone to mute.
“This upcoming election carries unprecedented significance. It will decide whether our nation can navigate through challenging tensions and risks, both domestically and internationally. We must persist on the path toward peace and prosperity by any means necessary,” he said in the distinctive Honam dialect. “I couldn't simply stand by on campus, witnessing the potential whirlwind that could disrupt the foundations of a free democracy and capitalist economy. These very foundations were built with the collective effort, sweat, tears, and blood of the past.”
He has been spearheading nationwide campaigns for the ruling camp, working closely with PPP interim leader Han Dong-hoon.
“Politicians must lead the charge in reforming our society, fostering unity among our people, and being willing to make personal sacrifices,” he said, vowing to consolidate national interests befitting "one of the global top 10 powers" in international relations and to engage North Koreans once elected.
Ihn, a professor at Yonsei University, has served as the director of the International Medical Care Center at Severance Hospital for 33 years and visited North Korea almost 30 times on humanitarian missions.
Ideal relief pitcher
Yonsei University professor Ihn Yo-han poses at his office at Severance Hospital, Seoul, March 18. Courtesy of Kim Chang-young
Born and raised in southwestern Gwangju and Jeolla provincial area, also known as "Honam" that is generally favorable to progressive parties, Ihn is widely anticipated to resonate with the sentiments of the populace.
“Former President Kim Dae-jung remains my favorite politician of all time,” he said.
The late Kim was revered as the undisputed hero of Honam residents, having risked his life in the pro-democracy movement of the 1980s and emerged victorious in the 1997 presidential election.
Ihn shifted to a moderate conservative stance after his meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2021, shortly after the prosecutor general-turned-political novice secured the PPP primary for the upcoming presidential election. Yoon sought his assistance, prompting Ihn's ideological shift.
“He possesses a frank and affectionate demeanor, speaking candidly and forging warm relationships quickly, even with people he just met. This ability has enabled him to establish rapport with world leaders and achieve notable successes in global diplomatic efforts focused on sales,” he said.
Yoon was appointed by former President Moon Jae-in as the country's top prosecutor in 2019 to arrest two former conservative leaders in a political purge. He eventually became the conservative party's presidential candidate and won the election by a margin of less than 1 percentage point, just one year after entering politics.
Now, facing the upcoming general elections, he finds himself under siege from progressive forces joining hands in an anti-Yoon coalition. Lee Jae-myung, his rival in the presidential election and leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), advocates for "harsh judgment against the Yoon administration," while Cho Kuk, a former justice minister during the Moon administration, loudly demands his impeachment.
Both Lee and Cho, along with other candidates of their parties, have been accused or found guilty of various charges. However, their parties enjoy strong popularity in the ongoing campaigns, partly due to Yoon's failure to fulfill his key election promise of upholding "justice and common sense" in public administration, and partly because support has waned due to his perceived failure to energize the South Korean economy.
“The pillars of our society lie in compromise and tolerance. Politicians must abstain from stoking anger for their own partisan conflicts and power struggles. The DPK has forsaken the longstanding virtues of progressivism since leadership shifted to Lee Jae-myung's hands,” he said.
South Korea has succeeded in industrialization and democratization and remodeled the poor and divided state into a robust, democratic economy during the past seven decades. However, it has overlooked endeavors to address the aftermath of rapid economic growth, which is currently marked by income disparity and social inequality.
The enduring legacy of unbalanced development has ignited bitter political clashes between the haves and have-nots, conservative and progressive factions, and the relatively affluent southeastern Yeongnam (Busan and Gyeongsang provinces) and disadvantaged Honam regions, the bastions of the PPP and the DPK, respectively.
The progressive movement ousted President Park Geun-hye from office in 2017 amid a massive corruption scandal, paving the way for Moon to assume the presidency. While the impeachment marked a triumphant conclusion to the so-called "candle revolution," where millions of citizens took to the streets holding candles on weekend nights, it also heralded the start of more intense struggles. According to Ihn, the new power holders monopolized values and left entrenched societal issues unaddressed, signaling a fresh beginning of bitter challenges.
Ihn Yo-han, left, holds hands with People Power Party interim leader Han Dong-hoon during a canvassing event in Seoul, March 25. Joint Press Corps
Huge tasks ahead
In addition to mounting external challenges, South Korea grapples with a plethora of enduring and emergent issues: social conflict, moral decline, sluggish economic growth, a record-low birthrate, and a high suicide rate, among others.
A seasoned physician and a witty optimist who always sees the silver lining beyond the clouds, Ihn appears to be one of the most able politicians capable of diagnosing society's ailments from a physician's perspective and offer effective policy alternatives from the viewpoint of a political outsider.
“Koreans have demonstrated remarkable resilience, triumphing over colonial rule, division of their land, a three-year war, poverty, and myriad other adversities. As a people, we have the capacity to transform every bitter crisis into a better situation,” he said.
Since his youth, he has been characterized by a positive outlook and dynamic activism. During the pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju in 1980 against the military junta led by Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan, Ihn sought his father's permission and drove a truck from his hometown of Sunchun to Damyang. From there, he walked 25 kilometers to reach the bloody site, risking his life in the pursuit of justice.
"At the age of 21, I served as a voluntary interpreter for foreign journalists at the South Jeolla Provincial Government hall," he recalled, reminiscing about that pivotal moment in history. "The site resembled a vast mortuary. The hall was overrun by armed militia, while the rest of the city was encircled by armed servicemen."
His courageous actions incurred harsh repercussions not only from the U.S. Embassy, but also from the South Korean government. Embassy officials labeled him a "political headache," while local government agents subjected the "subversive" individual to constant surveillance.
Upon returning to Yonsei University to resume his medical studies after the uprising subsided, he volunteered to participate in a student military camp in an effort to demonstrate his innocence, contrary to the accusations of being a "subversive." Notably, students with foreign nationality were not obliged to undergo the short-term drill, highlighting his commitment to dispel any doubts about his loyalty.
His family has a rich tradition of sharing in the glory and shame, honor and disgrace, and joys and pains of the Korean people since 1895. This legacy traces back to Eugene Bell, the father of his grandmother, who took his first step onto a remote village in the hermit kingdom of Joseon as a Southern Presbyterian missionary.
All of his ancestors adhered to the principle of noblesse oblige, dedicating their lifetimes to religious, educational, and welfare services for Koreans. They played pivotal roles in establishing hundreds of churches and schools, leaving a lasting legacy of service and compassion.
Born in 1926 in Gunsan, another city in Honam, his father Hugh Linton, along with his family, was deported to the U.S. by Japanese colonialists in 1940. During World War II, he fought against Japan as a U.S. Navy officer. When North Korea invaded South Korea, the veteran volunteered for Operation Chromite in 1950 and subsequently settled in the Honam area as a missionary.
His father tragically passed away in a taxi on the way to the hospital in 1984, after his truck was struck by a bus. With no ambulance available in Suncheon and lacking medical services, this tragedy spurred him to develop a spacious Korean-style ambulance capable of providing emergency treatment. In recognition of this contribution to Korean society, Ihn was granted Korean nationality through a special naturalization process in 2012.
Having philanthropic roots, Ihn has visited North Korea 29 times since 1997, initially traveling to Pyongyang to donate one of the new-type ambulances. He holds a deep interest in humanitarian aid for the North Korean people. However, he expresses regret over the deadlock in inter-Korean relations, primarily due to repeated nuclear provocations by the Kim Jong-un regime.
He said politicians have to learn former President Kim Dae-jung’s political philosophy of reconciliation and engagement.
“Politicians require a blend of a cool head and a warm heart, whereas statesmen must possess both a cool head and a cool heart. It is the statesmen who can craft strategies that withstand the test of time, even in the event of opposition rivals assuming power.”
Kim Chang-young worked for The Korea Times for 15 years before he assumed the posts of vice spokesman and spokesman of political parties and later served as deputy minister for public relations at the Prime Minister's Office. He has translated and authored books including Bob Woodward's "Bush at War" and "Plan of Attack."