Han Dong-hoon's alleged snub of first lady's texts exposes party rift

The presidential office said on Sunday that it has not intervened in the conservative People Power Party's national convention process, as an issue between the first lady and Han Dong-hoon exposes party factionalism.

From right, former interim chief Han Dong-hoon, Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong and Rep. Na Kyung-won, all contenders for the People Power Party leadership, take part in a ceremony pledging for a “fair” race ahead of the party’s national convention later this month at the PPP headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Friday. [YONHAP]

The presidential office on Sunday stressed that it has not intervened in the conservative People Power Party's (PPP) national convention process, on the back of a public rift over allegations that Han Dong-hoon, a candidate vying to lead the party, had snubbed text messages from first lady Kim Keon Hee earlier this year.

The text message issue is emerging as a key point of contention ahead of the PPP's national convention slated for July 23, with rival leadership candidates weighing in on the matter in a show of growing friction between those aligned with President Yoon Suk Yeol and Han, his former justice minister who was once known as one of his closest confidants from their time as prosecutors.

According to recent reports, first lady Kim purportedly sent five texts in January through the Telegram messaging app to Han, the interim PPP chief at the time, expressing her intent to apologize to the public over a luxury handbag controversy.

Han apparently read but ignored the messages, a move which has drawn criticism from his PPP leadership race rivals.

In the lead-up to the April 10 general election, Han reportedly clashed with the president over issues including election nominations and the handling of allegations that the first lady accepted a Dior bag from a pastor in 2022, leading to a publicly visible chill between the duo.

The latest reports are further fueling speculation that Han has fallen out with Yoon, with some within the PPP questioning the former interim chief's qualifications to run the party again.

On Friday, Han met with reporters in Yongsan District, central Seoul, rebutting that he didn't respond to Kim's text messages because he didn't want to resolve a public matter through private channels.

"During the general election, I communicated with the presidential office through public channels," Han said. "I don't think it is appropriate for the PPP's emergency steering committee chairman and the first lady to discuss public and political issues in a private manner."

He further took a swipe at the pro-Yoon faction of the party and alleged that the purpose of raising this issue at the current time is to "hurt and incite" him, adding it is "wrong to intervene in the national convention in this way."

Last December, Han became the PPP's emergency steering committee chairman after stepping down as Yoon's justice minister, but later resigned from the post to take responsibility for the party's crushing defeat in the April 10 general election.

Two months later, Han returns to political spotlight as one of four candidates running to become the PPP's next chief through the party's upcoming convention. He is up against Rep. Na Kyung-won, former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong and Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, all of whom possess more experience in politics than him.

"We have not engaged in any intervention during the PPP national convention race and will continue not to do so in the future," a senior presidential official said on Sunday.

"We especially ask that each candidate be careful not to drag the presidential office into the race during the national convention process," the official added, noting that the office is likewise "awaiting the choice of party members and the people."

This marked the first time the presidential office has addressed the texting controversy, seen as an attempt to temper reports of intensifying friction between the faction aligned with Yoon and those who aren't.

On Sunday, Han addressed the texting issue again through a Facebook post, noting that there are some PPP politicians trying to get him to withdraw as a candidate, possibly through a press conference, because he had asked the first lady for an apology over the handbag scandal "publicly rather than through a private channel."

"Intentionally bringing up this matter at this point is a dangerous attempt to harm my political standing," Han wrote. "Many people would consider it strange or even may suspect state intervention in party affairs."

He noted that there are also discussions about disqualifying him as a candidate by even taking the matter to the PPP's ethics committee, but said he will not bow to the old ways of dirty campaigning ahead of the convention.

The other PPP leader candidates have, in turn, criticized Han for his conduct and alleged misjudgments in the matter.

Won, who is known to be aligned with Yoon as his former land minister, slammed Han's handling of the text messages, saying that it "should have been deliberated at the level between the party and the government" in a Facebook post Sunday.

He called on Han to either disclose the text messages to resolve any misunderstandings or "make an apology" and end the controversy.

"The act of dragging the presidential office into the national convention to hide one's own mistakes divides the party and rattles the presidential office," Won wrote. "If such an individual becomes the party leader, it's clear that the relationship between the PPP and president will become irreparable, and the party will be divided."

Similarly, Na in a Facebook post the same day called Han "an irresponsible amateur who threw away the opportunity for first lady Kim to apologize," saying this was something that PPP members, citizens and general election candidates had "so desperately wanted."

Rep. Yoon, on his part, has questioned whether one can carry out the duties of PPP chief without a "trusting relationship" with the presidential office.

On Sunday, the PPP's election committee for the July 23 national convention warned that it will "respond resolutely to actions that undermine harmony within the party."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]