Why did DPK leader Kim Min-seok ask President Lee not to appoint Ihn Yohan as Korean Red Cross chief?

Kim said it would be better not to appoint Ihn after gathering opinions from both inside and outside the party. The request came after Lee met DPK leaders over dinner at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday.

What is the status of Ihn Yohan's appointment as head of the Korean Red Cross?

Ihn was chosen by the Korean Red Cross central committee in June and is set to take office for a three-year term if President Lee approves. The ethics committee at the National Assembly also said he is eligible for the post.

Why have some critics opposed Ihn Yohan's appointment to the Korean Red Cross?

Some critics point to his absence from the vote on the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol after the declaration of martial law in December 2024. The article also notes that Ihn became a naturalized Korean citizen in 2012 and comes from an American family active in medicine and education in Korea.

DPK leader asks President Lee not to appoint ex-PPP lawmaker as Red Cross chief

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Summary

DPK leader Kim Min-seok asked President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul not to appoint former People Power Party lawmaker Ihn Yohan as chief of the Korean Red Cross. Kim made the request after meeting DPK leaders over dinner at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday. Ihn was chosen by the Red Cross central committee in June and is awaiting presidential approval for a three-year term. The National Assembly ethics committee has already said he is eligible for the post.

Key Facts

Ihn Yohan was selected through a vote by the Korean Red Cross central committee in June.
He would serve a three-year term if President Lee approves the appointment.
The National Assembly's public officials ethics committee concluded that Ihn is eligible to serve as president of the Korean Red Cross.
Critics objected to Ihn's appointment because he did not take part in the impeachment vote on former President Yoon Suk Yeol after the December 2024 martial law declaration.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 26, 2026 12:01 pm KST
Updated Aug 26, 2026 8:33 pm KST

Ihn Yohan, former lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party / Yonhap

Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Kim Min-seok has asked President Lee Jae Myung to reconsider the appointment of Ihn Yohan, a former lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party, as the new head of the Korean Red Cross, a ruling party spokesperson said Wednesday.

Kim made the request after Lee met with DPK leaders over dinner at Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office, on Tuesday, according to DPK senior spokesperson Park Sung-joon.

"Kim said it would be better not to appoint Ihn as chief of the Korean Red Cross. He made the request after gathering opinions from within and outside the party," Park said in a media briefing in Andong, South Gyeongsang Province.

Ihn was chosen through a vote by the Korean Red Cross's central committee in June and is set to take office for a three-year term upon approval from President Lee, who is the honorary president of the organization.

The National Assembly's public officials ethics committee has also concluded after a review that Ihn is eligible for employment as the president of the Korean Red Cross.

However, some critics have raised objections to Ihn's appointment, citing his absence from the vote on the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol following his declaration of martial law in December 2024.

Ihn hails from an American family that has dedicated its services to developing medicine and education in Korea. He became a naturalized Korean citizen in 2012.

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