PPP to mark one month under Han Dong-hoon’s leadership

People\'s Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon attends a policy debate on the abolition of the financial investment income tax held at the National Assembly on August 22. Reporter Park Min-gyu

The ruling People's Power Party (PPP) celebrates one month under the leadership of Han Dong-hoon on August 23. Han has been focusing on filling key positions in the party with his aides and suggesting alternatives on issues related to the people’s livelihood. There has been no progress in proposing a bill mandating a special counsel investigation into the death of Marine Corps Corporal Chae Su-geun, which was his campaign promise during the national convention, with the goal of managing conflicts with President Yoon Suk-yeol as a priority. Critics have also criticized him for failing to make his voice heard on key issues, such as the increase in the number of medical school admissions and the appointment of Kim Hyung-seok as head of the Independence Hall of Korea.

After being elected as the party leader at the national convention on July 23, Han appointed a number of his close associates to key party posts, including chief secretary of the party leader Park Jung-ha, secretary general Seo Bum-soo, deputy secretary general Shin Ji-ho and Jung Sung-guk, supreme council member Kim Jong-hyuk, senior spokesperson Han Ji-ah, chairman of the party's audit committee Yoo Il-joon, and head of the Yeouido Institute Yoo Eui-dong. The party also changed its policy committee chairman from Jeong Jeok-sik, a pro-Yoon figure, to Kim Sang-hoon, who is less factional.

In terms of policy, Han said, “We shouldn't just oppose the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s policies,” and began looking for alternatives. Starting with the party consultation that resulted in a proposal to provide additional support for electricity bills for the energy-vulnerable, he has recently focused on a drive to abolish the financial investment income tax. On the 22nd, he proposed to the Democratic Party, "Let's agree that there will be no implementation at least in January next year." Han is also considering ways to select and support vulnerable people to replace the DPK's 250,000 won national support law, which President Yoon exercised his right of veto.

Han launched a special committee to resolve the gap, headed by PPP lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae, on the same day, making his agenda "bridging the gap" a main policy goal.

Han, who was attacked throughout the national convention for being at odds with Yoon, has focused on stabilizing the relationship between the party and the government by calling to Yoon shortly after being elected as the party leader and meeting with him the next day. While Han has succeeded in managing the conflict, it is questionable whether he is achieving a horizontal relationship between party and government tailored to the "public’s eye level" that he emphasized. The voice of the ruling party’s leadership has not been heard on issues such as the country’s medical disruption, the reform of the national pension system, or the controversial appointment of Kim Hyung-seok as head of the Independence Hall of Korea. Although Han expressed his opposition to Yoon's reinstatement of former South Gyeongsang Governor Kim Kyung-soo, it was recognized as a move to gain support from conservatives rather than the public.

The proposal of the special investigation bill remains the biggest detonator. When Han declared his candidacy in June, he promised to introduce a bill mandating a special counsel investigation into the death of Corporal Chae where the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court recommends a special prosecutor team. For a month now, he has only said that he “is collecting opinions within the party.”

This is likely a conscious move to avoid a backlash from President Yoon and the pro-Yoon faction. It is a dilemma because if the special investigation bill is proposed, Han has to endure conflicts with Yoon and the pro-Yoon figures, and if he does not propose the bill, he will be evaluated as a leader who did not keep his promise. The pressure from opposition parties is mounting. Cheon Ha-ram, leader of the Reform Party said on YTN Radio, “If he fails to propose the bill, he should apologize to the public and resign.”

A lawmaker close to Han said, “Han is willing to resolve both issues of the special investigation bill and the increase in medical school admissions, but he feels pressure to confront the president because he still lacks support within the party.” Another aide said, “It was a month of experimentation to redefine the party's relationship with the presidential office from a vertical relationship to a strategic partnership.”

Han is facing the task of breaking through the limits of a leader outside the National Assembly at its regular session, which begins next month. An upcoming meeting with the DPK leader Lee Jae-myung is also seen as both an opportunity and a risk. If the ruling party loses its positions of the heads of local government, such as Geumjeong-gu, Busan, and Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, in the upcoming by-election in October, it could spark a debate on accountability of the defeat within the party due to consecutive defeats in elections following the April 10 general election.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.