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The People Power Party is at a standstill in front of the ‘Han Dong-hoon Emergency Response Committee Chairman card.’ The mainstream within the party holds the position that Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon should be appointed as the Emergency Response Committee Chairman. However, strong opposition voices pose a hidden obstacle. On the surface, it may seem like a difference in ‘methodology’ regarding how to utilize Minister Han. But analyses suggest that complex political calculations lie beneath.

According to political circles on the 19th, at the joint meeting of People Power Party lawmakers and party district committee chairpersons held the previous day, there was a consensus on the need for Minister Han in relation to next year’s general election. However, voices differed on how to utilize him. Two-thirds of the speakers argued that Minister Han should take on the role of Emergency Response Committee Chairman and lead the formation of the nomination management committee, effectively conducting next year’s general election under the name ‘Han Dong-hoon.’ The opposing side argued that in the fully underway election phase, Minister Han should be utilized in a limited way, such as serving as the campaign committee chairman playing a kind of ‘speaker’ role.

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon is giving a proposal explanation on the "Plan to Establish the Immigration Control Agency" at the People Power Party Policy Members' General Meeting held at the National Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee meeting room on the 6th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

At first glance, this could be seen as a strategic difference in how to utilize Minister Han. However, the reality is not simple. What stands out is the public opinion within the People Power Party. Many members of the party, who had previously shown a unified front during leadership changes, raised objections. Although the justification was ‘for Minister Han,’ it is significant that one-third of the speakers at the joint meeting the previous day voiced opposition to appointing Minister Han as Emergency Response Committee Chairman. Park Sung-min, head of Min Political Consulting, analyzed on SBS Radio that “if it’s 4:6, the opposition opinion is actually greater.”

Considering the circumstances such as public statements supporting Minister Han and pre-meeting persuasion efforts targeting out-of-office district committee chairpersons before the joint meeting, the mainstream faction’s desperation to appoint Minister Han as Emergency Response Committee Chairman is evident. In this context, political circles analyze that strong leadership from Minister Han is necessary within the ruling party mainstream regarding the special prosecutor law related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee. Hypothetically, if the special prosecutor law is passed and President Yoon exercises his veto, the opposition party may attempt to reapprove it in the middle of the general election. In such a case, political power capable of preventing defections of incumbent lawmakers who lost nominations would inevitably be required. Only strong leadership, which could be expected from a future presidential candidate, can unite the party tightly in such a situation.

On the other hand, lawmakers with two or more terms and those from the Yeongnam region raise cautious views. They cite political maturity in the complex phase of the election campaign and the need to maintain Minister Han’s image as a future contender as reasons. While this may appear as risk avoidance, fundamentally, underlying these views is a fear of the shock Minister Han might bring. They are wary of everything from mistakes due to his lack of political experience to the possibility that Minister Han might target the party’s vested interests by pushing for reform nominations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.