Han Dong-hoon, Oh Se-hoon to appear together at Kim Gi-hyeon's forum amid party turmoil

Prominent figures within South Korea's conservative political sphere, including independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, are set to appear together at a forum hosted by Kim Gi-hyeon, a member of the National Assembly. The event, scheduled for June 25, is drawing attention due to its timing amidst significant internal strife within the ruling People Power Party.

The forum, organized by the Korea Future Innovation Forum which Kim Gi-hyeon chairs, will feature a lecture by Hong Tae-hwa, a researcher at the U.S. Foreign Policy Institute, on "America's Grand Strategy and Korea's Choices." Following Kim's opening remarks, both Oh and Han are scheduled to deliver congratulatory speeches. The forum is open to the press, with a question-and-answer session to follow the lecture.

Han Dong-hoon recently joined the forum, expressing his pleasure at Kim's invitation. The gathering of these potential future leaders occurs as the People Power Party grapples with internal divisions. The party's leadership, under Chairman Joo Ho-young, has postponed decisions on the re-election of all local party chapter chairmen and faces backlash over disciplinary actions against several non-aligned lawmakers.

Han has been vocal in his criticism of the party's direction, likening potential party privatization to allowing "Lee Jae-myung's one-man dictatorship." He has also condemned the disciplinary measures as "political punishment for personal privatization." Meanwhile, Oh Se-hoon has been expanding his network within conservative circles, recently meeting with former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min. Oh is also facing an appeal after being handed a sentence that could cost him his mayoral position in a first-instance ruling related to an alleged campaign finance violation.