Yoon-Han 'Conflict Instigator' Kim Kyung-yul's Position?…Party Divided Over Resignation Debate

'Yoon-Han Conflict' Resolution Phase
Focus on Kim Kyung-yul's Position for Causing Conflict
Party Disagreement Over Retaining Emergency Committee Chairmanship

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, are inspecting the fire site at Seocheon Special Market in Seocheon-eup, Seocheon-gun, Chungnam on the 23rd. (Photo by Yonhap News)

As the discord between President Yoon Seok-yeol and Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, moves toward a 'reconciliation' phase, voices within the party are calling for the resignation of Kim Kyung-yul, the Emergency Response Committee member who sparked the conflict. There is an opinion that Kim should express his position in some way, whether by resigning from the committee or declaring he will not run for office. However, from the perspective of the leadership of the 'Han Dong-hoon Emergency Committee,' there are also views that Kim Kyung-yul should retain his position.

On the 24th, People Power Party lawmaker Lee Yong-ho appeared on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and responded to the host's remark that "there is a card being considered to have Kim Kyung-yul resign from the Emergency Committee but still keep the door open for him to run in the general election" by saying, "That could be one way." Lee said, "On the surface, the controversy is about Kim Kyung-yul's private recommendation and fairness issues, but I think it can be resolved in a way that maintains appearances externally and facilitates smooth communication." He added, "I believe that if politics is conducted with an attitude of understanding the other side's position and putting oneself in their shoes through such experiences, things can improve significantly."

While he prefaced that the decision to resign is a personal one, when asked if he sees the possibility of Kim Kyung-yul stepping down voluntarily, he said, "If he is to be nominated or to challenge, he would have to be active on the ground, so it might be a good method to step down lightly and then run."

There are also opinions opposing the arrangement of Kim's position.

People Power Party lawmaker Kim Woong said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "There are few people like Kim Kyung-yul who have both recognition and strong combat power. He must somehow enter the National Assembly." He particularly emphasized, "I don't understand that the conflict itself was triggered by Kim Kyung-yul, and the frame of 'private recommendation' does not fit. It is not appropriate to call it 'private recommendation' just because someone wants to run in Mapo-eul, where the People Power Party's support is weak, not in the Gangnam 3 districts."

However, Park Sung-min, head of a political consulting firm, said on the same radio program, "If Kim Kyung-yul resigns or decides not to run because he raised the issue of Mrs. Kim Gun-hee, it would be a clear political defeat for Emergency Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon," adding, "Although only Han Dong-hoon is not stepping down, the effect of having put him in that position disappears." This is interpreted as potentially giving the opposition party an excuse to attack Chairman Han as 'Yoon Seok-yeol's avatar' or 'the president's avatar.'

Kim Kyung-yul has stated that he has "no intention to resign" regarding his position. Chairman Han Dong-hoon also drew a line on the resignation rumors on his way to the National Assembly that day, saying, "I have not heard such stories."

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