Handonghun "I will overcome the old-fashioned petition system... Change together with party members and the people"

Han Dong-hoon, the People Power Party's representative candidate, said on the 7th regarding some non-incumbent party district committee chairpersons pushing for a press conference urging his withdrawal, "Don't cancel the petition just because public opinion is bad and you're surprised; just go ahead like last time."

On the same day, Han stated on Facebook, "Some politicians, including election commissioners, are preparing a press conference this afternoon demanding my resignation because I publicly demanded an apology instead of using private channels to do so." He added, urging them to proceed with the petition as planned, saying, "Let's let the people and party members see clearly." He also pledged, "I will overcome the old-fashioned petition culture" and "I will change together with party members and the people."

Handonghun, the candidate for the People Power Party leader. Photo by Heo Younghan younghan@

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Jung Kwang-jae, spokesperson for Han's campaign, commented, "The old habits and controversies arising during the primary ironically show why the People Power Party needs to change," adding, "Even if we make not just one but a hundred petitions, we cannot stop the party members and people who want to move forward into the future." He targeted rival candidates, saying, "To become party leader, some who once called themselves 'comrades' disparage their opponents, while on the other hand, 'Yoon-sim marketing'?selling the president's favor?is rampant."

Park Jung-hoon, a Supreme Council member candidate and Han's running mate, pointed out on Facebook, "The essence of the self-harm drama is not 'read receipt ignoring' but 'text message leaks.'" Park said, "The forces that staged this as if 'read receipt ignoring' were a grave sin are short-sighted pseudo-loyalists," urging to reveal those behind the collective action of the district committee chairpersons. Another running mate, Jang Dong-hyuk, also a Supreme Council member candidate, criticized on Facebook, "Old-fashioned politics is turning the party convention into a mudslinging contest," adding, "These people, who risk even the president to protect their own interests regardless of the president or the party, are reckless."

Some non-incumbent party district committee chairpersons contacted other district committee chairpersons the day before to ask if they would join the press conference urging Han's withdrawal, but canceled the plan after the controversy spread. It was reported that they were preparing the press conference to urge Han's resignation related to the controversy that, ahead of the April 10 general election, Kim Geon-hee, wife of President Yoon Seok-youl, had expressed her intention to apologize to the public via a Telegram message to Han, who was then the emergency committee chairman, regarding the controversy over her luxury bag, but Han ignored it.

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