In the End, the Ruling Party Chooses 'Han Dong-hoon Emergency Committee'... Eyes on the Formation of the Public Official Committee

With the People Power Party ultimately endorsing Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, as the new emergency committee chairman, attention is turning to the composition of the nomination management committee (Gonggwanwi), a key authority of the emergency committee chairman. As a close aide to President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has even faced 'avatar' controversy, political evaluations are expected to vary depending on how he forms the Gonggwanwi. There were rumors that former Innovation Committee Chairman In Yo-han was appointed as the Gonggwanwi chairman, but these have been reported as unfounded.

On the afternoon of the 21st, Yoon Jae-ok, acting leader of the People Power Party, held an emergency briefing on current issues and announced, "We have decided to recommend Minister Han as the emergency committee chairman." Although there were rumors that former Innovation Committee Chairman In was appointed as the Gonggwanwi chairman that day, he dismissed them as "fake news" and stated that legal action would be taken. The appointment of the Gonggwanwi chairman is the prerogative of the emergency committee chairman.

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon is attending the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 20th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

With Minister Han accepting the position of emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, interest is also focused on how he will form the Gonggwanwi. The Gonggwanwi must be formed by January 10 next year, 90 days before the election day. In particular, the opposition party criticizes the 'Han Dong-hoon emergency committee' as an 'emergency committee for prosecutor nominations,' and if the Gonggwanwi appointments fail to meet public expectations, there is a possibility that President Yoon Suk-yeol could be framed as an 'avatar' or suffer setbacks in the election.

Former lawmaker Shin Sung-beom expressed concerns about the risks associated with accepting the emergency committee chairman position on YTN's 'The News' that day, saying, "Minister Han (as emergency committee chairman) is personally a gamble. The reason is that although the emergency committee chairman is a temporary party leader in an emergency situation when starting politics, as you know, he appoints the Gonggwanwi chairman, and ultimately, the seal of the People Power Party's emergency committee chairman must be stamped on the candidate's nomination. This will cause a lot of bloodshed."

Former People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in also commented on this matter on the 20th on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' stating, "Being the emergency committee chairman of the ruling party means having no freedom of action. Because the president is above, there is no space to do whatever you want," and "The opposition party's emergency committee chairman can exercise full authority and can succeed or fail based on their intentions, but the ruling party's emergency committee chairman cannot act according to their own will."

Within the party, there are expectations that he will recruit many fresh faces and inject vitality into the general election. People Power Party lawmaker Kim Byung-wook said on BBS's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal' that "'Han Dong-hoon, born in 1973,' will be the Grim Reaper of the 86 generation. Even within the Democratic Party, amid the arrest of former leader Song Young-gil, calls for the retirement and resignation of the 86 generation are gaining prominence," adding, "Our party will seek a dramatic change through new figures and messages that can overcome the current phase of criticism."

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