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.
Korea's ex-ruling party interim leader keeps distance from president after election defeat
The ruling People Power Party's (PPP) former interim leader, Han Dong-hoon, delivers a statement after the party's defeat in the April 10 general elections during a press conference at PPP headquarters in Seoul, April 11. Joint Press Corps
By Nam Hyun-woo
Han apparently preps political standalone after rejecting Yoon's invitation for luncheon
The ruling People Power Party's (PPP) former interim leader, Han Dong-hoon, is keeping a distance from President Yoon Suk Yeol after the party's crushing defeat in the April 10 general elections in an apparent move to prepare return to politics without carry-over associations with the beleaguered president.
According to PPP officials, Wednesday, Han had a dinner with the PPP's former emergency committee members on April 16, during which they exchanged words of appreciation for their contributions during the campaign and the election outcome.
The party secured only 108 seats in the 300-member National Assembly.
Days later, Han rejected Yoon's invitation Friday to a luncheon with PPP emergency committee members, citing ill health.
President Yoon Suk Yeol enters a ceremony for newly appointed military generals at the presidential office in Yongsan District in Seoul, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps
The rejection came amid PPP members' ongoing arguments over who is responsible for the election defeat and who will take the helm of the party to restore the public's trust.
After the election defeat, Yoon on April 16 had a dinner with Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo to discuss post-election political strategies before inviting Han to meet.
Since the dinner, Hong has been spouting harsh criticism against Han, blaming the former justice minister's campaign strategy of promoting his personal charm, saying that it led to the party's defeat.
"It is Han's fault that the PPP suffered a historic defeat," Hong wrote on an online forum he runs on Saturday, adding, "He exploited the general elections for his own presidential ambition."
Hong also wrote on Friday that Han "acted as if he is the heir-apparent of Yoon" but "was abandoned after arrogantly challenging his master."
Hong's criticism is widely perceived to echo Yoon's sentiment, given their clashes over various political agendas during the campaign. Yoon, meanwhile, has avoided taking responsibility for the PPP's electoral defeat, asserting that his policies were correct but failed to resonate with the public.
Han's decline is seen as a move to distance himself from Yoon and strategize his future political endeavors.
Kim Kyung-yul, a former member of the PPP's emergency committee under Han, said during an interview with broadcaster CBS Tuesday that Yoon's dinner with Hong seems "very odd," particularly considering Han's contributions during the campaign period, and Han may have felt disappointed in Yoon.
"I don't know much about [the chairman's] personal character, but he is assumed to be disappointed," Kim said. "After the dinner with Yoon, Mayor Hong's remarks were quite harsh, saying Han is a betrayer. Such words would definitely cause personal distress."
Veteran politician Kim Chong-in also said Tuesday, in a video posted on YouTube, that there will be no political hope for Han unless he distances himself from Yoon.