Handonghun: "Won Heeryong Focused Attacks Only on Me from the Start... Concerned About Negative Campaign"

"Worried That the People Might Even Find the Party Pathetic"

Han Dong-hoon, a former emergency committee member running as a candidate for the People Power Party (PPP) leadership election on July 23, expressed concern over former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong's concentrated attacks against him the previous day, saying, "I am worried that the public might find even our party pathetic."

Handonghun, the People Power Party's candidate for party leader, is attending the 2nd party leader candidate broadcast debate held at the MBN studio in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 11th. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

In an interview with BBS Radio's 'Ham In-kyung's Morning Journal' on the 12th, candidate Han stated, "I apologize to the public that a few specific candidates are focusing solely on negativity and personal attacks during the party convention, which should be a festival within the party and an opportunity to present a vision for the future, thereby clouding judgment."

He added, "At yesterday's debate, candidate Won made negative remarks about me without exception, from his opening greeting to even light topics in the middle. I have never seen anything like this," and continued, "I am worried that the public might not only think poorly of candidate Won but also find the People Power Party pathetic."

He went on to emphasize, "I have never engaged in negative attacks against other candidates. We should not do this in an internal party election. Instead, we should present a vision to the public on how to overcome this crisis and build a foundation for victory."

He also said, "I want to tell candidate Won to stop this. It seems excessive. If he becomes the party leader by doing this, wouldn't the party be ruined?" Furthermore, he noted, "Since the middle of the Moon Jae-in administration until now, I have never been free from concentrated attacks. If I wanted to attack candidate Won, there would be plenty of reasons, but I consider such behavior old-fashioned politics, and I came out to change this old-fashioned politics."

Regarding the phrase 'Eodaehan' (meaning 'Han Dong-hoon will be the leader anyway'), candidate Han said, "Politicians should listen to public sentiment, respond to it, and be sensitive to it. It is wrong to judge, evaluate, and lecture by assuming what public sentiment is," and added, "I choose to fear public sentiment. I do not believe in Eodaehan."

The previous day, candidate Won opened a slanderous battle by pressing candidate Han to explain three major allegations (operation of a public opinion formation team, manipulation of proportional representation candidates, and recommendation of Kim Kyung-yul as Financial Supervisory Service chief) during the second TV debate.

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