Former Speaker Kim Hyungoh: "Han Donghoon's Bid for Busan Buk-gu Gap Is a Fatal Mistake"

by Kim Pyeonghwa

Published 16 Apr.2026 15:47(KST)

Updated 16 Apr.2026 15:50(KST)

"To Revive the Party, He Must Resist the Temptation of Short-Term Gains"

Hyungoh Kim, former Speaker of the National Assembly, criticized former People Power Party leader Donghoon Han, saying, "He is making a grave mistake by discarding the last card that could turn a crisis into an opportunity."

On his Tistory blog on April 16, Kim commented, "There is news that he (former leader Han) is considering running in the Busan Buk-gu Gap by-election," and evaluated the situation as such.

Hyungoh Kim, former Speaker of the National Assembly. Photo by Yonhap News

Kim explained that the Buk-gu Gap district is "a constituency that Minshik Park, former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs-and Han's senior in college, the bar exam, and at work (the prosecution)-has devoted much effort to." He continued, "Watching colleagues and seniors and juniors compete for a single seat in the National Assembly is both a melancholy spectacle and a scene of political backwardness." He also remarked, "Even if he wins, won't he be left only with the image of being ruthless?"

Kim stated, "(Former leader Han) should open his eyes wide and look further ahead," and added, "If he is confident that he is the right person to revive a crumbling party, he must resist the temptation of short-term gains at the expense of greater long-term losses." He said that this is "the faint, yet certain, path of hope to restore the fallen conservatives and recover the balance and checks of democracy." He expressed, "I hope (Han) will walk the path of a great politician who chooses the future of conservatism and the nation's well-being."