Former Assembly Speaker urges ruling party leader to resign, Han Dong-hoon to forgo leadership bid

A respected elder statesman from South Korea's conservative camp has issued a strong call for two prominent figures within the ruling People Power Party to step aside, asserting that their actions are detrimental to the party and the nation's political landscape.

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must step down immediately.

Kim Hyong-o, a former Speaker of the National Assembly, stated in a blog post that the current party leader "must step down immediately." He also urged Han Dong-hoon, an independent lawmaker and former interim leader, to "declare that he will not pursue party leadership" before the upcoming general election, regardless of whether he rejoins the party. Kim, who is no longer a member of the People Power Party, expressed his concerns for the future of conservative values and South Korea.

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declare that he will not pursue party leadership.

Kim specifically criticized the party leader's electoral performance, noting that regions he focused on suffered significant losses. "There are even remarks within and outside the party that wherever Jang Dong-hyuk goes, they lose, and wherever he doesn't go, they survive," Kim wrote, adding that the leader's continued presence in the role is unbecoming of a politician. He advised the leader to "immediately step down from the party leadership and open space for the party to rebuild."

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There are even remarks within and outside the party that wherever Jang Dong-hyuk goes, they lose, and wherever he doesn't go, they survive.

Addressing Han Dong-hoon, Kim suggested that Han's focus on his own political future overshadowed his efforts during the recent elections. "If he had thrown himself into nationwide support for fellow candidates, prioritizing them over his own election, and shown a willingness to humble himself and sacrifice, even those who disliked him would have seen him differently," Kim commented. He lamented that Han appeared driven by "personal political ambition" and became a source of internal party conflict. Kim concluded by urging both men to make decisive choices, stating, "Both of you are capable of great politics. But with your current actions, you are increasingly diminishing your own stature."

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If he had thrown himself into nationwide support for fellow candidates, prioritizing them over his own election, and shown a willingness to humble himself and sacrifice, even those who disliked him would have seen him differently.