'Lee Jong-seop's Departure' Rekindles Party-Government Conflict... Han Dong-hoon Remains Tight-Lipped

Korea, Arrives at Work Without Q&A
Presidential Office Steps Back Slightly
Tension Persists Due to Ongoing Differences in Position

The controversy over Ambassador Lee Jong-seop's departure from Australia has emerged as a flashpoint in the ruling party-government conflict. Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, mentioned the necessity of the ambassador's return and clashed with the Presidential Office, which has insisted on a 'legitimate personnel appointment.' However, the ruling party and the government did not continue a strong confrontation. On the 18th, the Presidential Office showed a somewhat conciliatory stance through a statement, saying, "Ambassador Lee will promptly respond to any summons from the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HOCI) at any time." Tension between the People Power Party and the Presidential Office continues as the status of Hwang Sang-moo, the Presidential Office's Senior Secretary for Civil Society who mentioned voluntary resignation, has yet to be decided.

On the same day, Chairman Han unusually did not hold a Q&A session with reporters on his way to work. The apparent reason was that, with the transition to the election campaign committee system, he wanted to focus more on statements from the campaign committee. Seo Seung-hye, the director overseeing the Emergency Response Committee Chairman's office, said, "Since the campaign committee system is akin to a wartime situation, statements from the campaign committee and morning remarks could overlap," adding, "Considering election strategies, we decided after discussion not to hold daily backbriefings." Chairman Han only attended the scheduled campaign committee meeting and left the party office without answering reporters' questions after the meeting.

Handonghun, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and General Election Countermeasures Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, listens to the remarks of Ahn Cheol-soo, Co-Chairman of the Election Countermeasures Committee, at the Central Election Countermeasures Committee meeting held at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 18th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

It is observed that Chairman Han's changed attitude stems from his remarks on the ambassador's departure issue the previous day. On his way out of the party office after work, Han told reporters, "The HOCI should immediately notify Ambassador Lee of a summons, and the ambassador should promptly return." This statement differed from the Presidential Office's position. Han's remarks are interpreted as reflecting concerns about voter sentiment in the metropolitan area and among centrist voters ahead of the general election. He added, "I don't think this is an issue that would cause fatigue among the public due to political strife."

Within the party, there is a cautious atmosphere about whether Han's remarks the previous day might rekindle party-government conflicts. The ruling party and government have previously experienced conflict over Han's possible resignation as Emergency Response Committee Chairman. Jang Dong-hyuk, Secretary-General of the People Power Party, explained at a briefing at the Yeouido party office that Han's remarks the previous day were "more about conveying the public's sentiment than about party-government conflict." He said, "(Han's remarks) are a way to address concerns the public has." Park Jeong-ha, the chief spokesperson, also told reporters after the campaign committee meeting, "The ambassador has expressed his position to the HOCI, and the HOCI has not yet responded; we will wait and see."

Although the Presidential Office stepped back by stating that "the ambassador will return upon summons by the HOCI," it still referred to the ambassador's appointment as a "legitimate personnel appointment selecting a suitable candidate for defense industry exports" and said, "It is very inappropriate for overseas diplomatic missions' chiefs to remain idle," leaving the conflict unresolved. The Presidential Office also revealed that "before departing for his ambassadorial post, the ambassador voluntarily visited the HOCI and was investigated for about four hours."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding Senior Secretary Hwang, who faced backlash for his so-called 'journalist knife attack' remarks, the Presidential Office defended him. The office stated, "He has never exerted any coercion or pressure against media personnel regarding any specific issue, nor will he." This was a rebuttal to calls for his resignation within the ruling party. The day before, Chairman Han said about Senior Secretary Hwang, "His remarks do not meet the public's expectations, and he should decide on his own position," effectively demanding his voluntary resignation. Political circles are speculating that Senior Secretary Hwang will soon decide to step down voluntarily.

Meanwhile, Chairman Han announced that he will soon hold a party-government consultation to discuss measures for price stabilization. This is interpreted as an attempt to shift the focus from political issues to solutions for people's livelihoods. At the campaign committee meeting that day, Han said, "We must control prices and support future growth industries in Korea to lay the groundwork." He emphasized, "I understand the government is preparing drastic measures. We will also provide strong support."

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