Handonghun: "Party Leader Cannot Exercise State Authority... Prime Minister Must Directly Oversee"

"Orderly Early Resignation Is a Better Option"

Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, stated, "The party leader cannot exercise state authority," adding, "The Prime Minister will directly oversee state affairs, and close consultation between the party and the government is naturally expected."

Handonghun, Leader of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

On the 8th, Han met with reporters at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, and responded to criticisms that "it is illegal for the ruling party leader and the Prime Minister to jointly manage state affairs," saying, "It is somewhat misleading to say that the Prime Minister and I are jointly managing state affairs."

Earlier that day, Han and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo met at the central party office in Yeouido to discuss measures for managing state affairs and issued a public address, which the opposition party criticized as a "second insurrection," a claim Han refuted.

He emphasized, "In this emergency situation, the party intends to consult more actively and meticulously with the Prime Minister," and reiterated, "The party leader cannot exercise state authority."

Han also said, "During the state affairs manipulation scandal under former President Park Geun-hye, Democratic Party lawmakers including current Speaker Woo Won-sik said, 'The President should step back from state affairs and delegate full authority to the Prime Minister.' I am now proposing the same solution." He added, "At that time, former President Park did not accept that demand, but this time the President is accepting it and intends to take that measure."

Furthermore, Han stated, "In the case of impeachment, there is a considerable period of uncertainty regarding whether it will actually pass and what decision the Constitutional Court will make even if it does. During that process, as we saw yesterday at Gwanghwamun and the National Assembly, severe factional confusion is expected," adding, "Therefore, an orderly early resignation is a better option."

Regarding President Yoon's acceptance of the resignation of Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min on the same day, Han said, "Since it is a resignation issue rather than an appointment, it is difficult to see it as an active exercise of duties."

Meanwhile, President Yoon announced on the same day that he appointed Oh Ho-ryong, a special advisor, as the successor to former First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service Hong Jang-won, who stepped down on the 6th. The deputy director of the National Intelligence Service is appointed by the President, and President Yoon made this personnel decision before announcing that he would entrust the party with stabilizing the political situation, including his own term, following the emergency martial law situation.

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