Handonghun, Struggling Between Strengthening Control VS Balanced Appointments

Chief Secretary Appointment of Reelected Rep. Park Jeongha
Pro-Han Faction Mentioned for Appointed Supreme Council Member and Secretary-General
Jang Donghyuk: "Appointments Should Be Based on Ability Rather Than Artificial Distinctions"

Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, is deliberating over the appointment of the party leadership, including the nominated Supreme Council members, Secretary-General, and Chair of the Policy Committee. Attention is focused on whether Han, who reconciled with President Yoon Suk-yeol, will decide on a balanced personnel appointment.

According to political circles on the 25th, Han continued discussions on major issues during the Supreme Council meeting held that morning without any special mention regarding appointments.

Earlier, Han met with President Yoon at the Yongsan Presidential Office for the first time in 178 days at the president’s invitation and shared a dinner, aiming to resolve conflicts. After offering a "love shot" to Han, President Yoon urged the party leadership not to leave Han isolated and to support him extensively.

Initially, considering the conflict between the pro-Yoon and pro-Han factions, many expected the party leadership to be composed of pro-Han members, but there is also speculation about the possibility of balanced personnel appointments within the party to mend conflicts.

According to the People Power Party’s constitution and regulations, the party leader can appoint nominated Supreme Council members, Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-Generals for Strategy Planning and Organization, Chief of the Party Leader’s Secretariat, spokesperson group, and the head of the Yeouido Research Institute. The Chair of the Policy Committee can also be appointed in consultation with the floor leader.

Handonghun, the leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 25th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@

On the same day, Han appointed Park Jeong-ha, a two-term lawmaker from Wonju City A district in Gangwon Province, as the Chief of the Party Leader’s Secretariat. Usually, the Secretary-General position is held by lawmakers with two or more terms, and pro-Han lawmakers such as Song Seok-jun (three terms), Bae Hyun-jin (two terms), and Seo Beom-su (two terms) are being mentioned for the role. On the 23rd, when Han was elected at the party convention, pro-Han lawmakers also appeared at Han’s campaign disbandment ceremony.

Since the Supreme Council composition, including the youth Supreme Council member, is three pro-Yoon to two pro-Han, there is a possibility that the nominated Supreme Council members will also be filled with pro-Han members. Not only current two-term lawmakers like Kim Hyeong-dong and Kim Ye-ji but also former emergency committee members Kim Gyeong-yul, Gu Ja-ryong, Park Eun-sik, former lawmaker Shin Ji-ho, and Deputy Secretary-General Kim Jong-hyeok, who supported Han in the past emergency committee and campaign, are reportedly being considered.

For the Chair of the Policy Committee, the reappointment of Jeong Jeom-sik, a pro-Yoon current chair, is being discussed. Jeong started his term only about two months ago, and there is an expectation that he can serve as a bridge connecting President Yoon and Han regarding policy matters.

However, since the number of lawmakers is insufficient compared to the opposition party, there is also a view that it will be difficult to artificially divide party positions between pro-Yoon and pro-Han factions. Jang Dong-hyeok, a close aide of Han and recently elected as the Senior Supreme Council member, appeared on SBS Radio that day and said, "It is not easy to harmonize capable figures who will lead change and innovation and transform the party into a competent policy party by artificially balancing (region, gender, faction). I think the main focus should be on appointing suitable individuals based on ability rather than artificially matching ratios."

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