The Party Tried to Stop Negative Campaigning... But Yuan and Han Grow Increasingly Fierce

Won Hee-ryong and Han Dong-hoon Exchange Harsh Words
From Lies and Old Habits to Intentional Defeat and Multiple Personality
Fierce Clashes Expected in 2nd Broadcast Debate

Won Hee-ryong and Han Dong-hoon, candidates for the leadership of the People Power Party, have exchanged harsh words such as "politics of lies," "old-fashioned politics," "intentional defeat," and "multiple personalities," turning the July 23 party convention into a fierce mudslinging battle.

Handonghun, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, attended the 'Incheon City Party New Year's Meeting' held at Incheon Karis Hotel on the 16th. After delivering his greeting, he embraced Won Heeryong, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

On the morning of the same day, candidate Won posted on Facebook under the title "'Baseless' Candidate Han Dong-hoon, will you step down if your lies are exposed?" He stated, "Candidate Han denied reports that he recommended former emergency committee member Kim Kyung-yul as the Financial Supervisory Service chief as 'baseless.' He also categorically denied allegations of election manipulation and the existence of a private public opinion team," and challenged, "If even one of the three allegations?election manipulation, private public opinion team, or recommendation of Kim Kyung-yul as Financial Supervisory Service chief?is true, will you resign?"

After Won's post, candidate Han responded on Facebook, saying, "I respond to Won Hee-ryong's continuous false slanders. None of those facts are true." He added, "Candidate Won falsely accused my family of interfering in nominations, then at the recent TV Chosun debate, he used the election commission as an excuse and promised not to do it again, yet he refused to reflect or apologize. Changing his story again, less than a day later, he is fervently spreading false slanders. Like public urination, he spreads filth and runs away. I will work with party members to change this old-fashioned politics of false slanders."

In response, candidate Won again posted on Facebook, saying, "A novice politician who learns to lie first does not deserve to call party members comrades. Now is the time to be tested on lying skills," and raised suspicion by asking, "So, will you resign if your lies are exposed?"

Won Hee-ryong, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, is being interviewed by Asia Economy in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Although the party leadership and the election commission advised to refrain from negative campaigning for the sake of the post-convention period, the fierce exchanges between candidates Won and Han are seen as crossing a point of no return.

Earlier, on the 8th, Hwang Woo-yeo, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, warned at an emergency committee meeting, "We must heed concerns that the party convention is turning into an excessive blame game," and stated, "Any conduct violating party rules will be immediately subject to strict measures by the election commission and ethics committee."

On the same day, the party election commission also summoned the four candidates for party leader just before the joint speech meeting for Honam and Jeju held at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Gwangju, advising them not to engage in negative campaigning. Because of this, at the first televised debate on the 9th, when candidate Han demanded, "Do you have evidence that you discussed nominations with relatives? If so, disclose it; if not, apologize," candidate Won avoided answering by saying, "I will not respond in accordance with the election commission's recommendation."

However, as the negative campaigning between the two candidates resumed, a fierce exchange is expected at the second televised debate in the afternoon. Previously, candidate Won appeared on Channel A's YouTube channel the day before and repeatedly raised nomination allegations, and after the joint speech meeting for Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, he told reporters, "In a situation where winning the general election is desperate, I cannot help but think whether there was an attempt to deliberately lead the election to defeat," raising his voice. Candidate Han also told reporters right after the joint speech meeting, "Yesterday, he said he would not engage in negative campaigning, but candidate Won enthusiastically changed his stance from this morning. He always spreads filth and runs away," emphasizing, "This old-fashioned politics of multiple personalities must be eradicated."

Handonghun, the People Power Party's representative candidate, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the Yeouido camp office in Seoul. Photo by Huh Younghan younghan@

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