New Democratic Party leader asks president not to appoint John Linton to Korean Red Cross

The Democratic Party's new leader has urged President Lee Jae Myung to reject the appointment of John Linton as the chairman of the Korean Red Cross. The party's spokesperson, Park Sung-joon, revealed that the new party leader, Kim Min-seok, privately conveyed this request to the president after a recent banquet.

Linton, who is also known by his Korean name Ihn Yo-han, is a naturalized South Korean citizen and a former lawmaker for the opposition People Power Party. He was elected chairman of the Korean Red Cross by the organization's central committee in June. However, his appointment has faced opposition from some Democrats and their supporters.

Concerns have been raised regarding Linton's past actions and statements. These include his boycott of a vote to impeach former President Yoon Suk-yeol following the insurrection in December 2024 and his advocacy for the privatization of South Korea's healthcare system. Despite these objections, a public service ethics commission had recently cleared Linton for the position, leaving only the president's final approval.

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During that conversation, he told President Lee that based on opinions he’d gathered from within the party and beyond, it would be preferable not to appoint [Linton] as chairman of the Korean Red Cross.