South Korea's presidential office demands the resignation of the ruling party's top leader: What was the cause of the conflict?

On the 21st of this month, the South Korean presidential office asked Han Dong-hoon, the interim head of the ruling party People's Power and chairman of the emergency response committee, to resign. Mr. Han was appointed as chairman of the committee last month. Yun・
There is a disagreement between President Yoon and Mr. Han over the handling of allegations that Kim Gun-hee, the wife of President Seo-gyeol (Yun Seok-yeoul), received gifts that exceeded the amount stipulated by law.
It is believed that a conflict is behind the incident. Yonhap News reported, ``It is likely to have a considerable impact on the general election in April.''
Regarding the "power of the people," as the general election approaches in April, Kim Ki
Former party president Hyun resigned last month due to the party's low approval ratings. Although the party's top leader was temporarily absent, the party changed its structure to an emergency task force without a representative, and appointed Han as its chairman. Mr. Han was born on the 26th of last month.
He was officially appointed after a resolution at the party's national committee. Mr. Han is from Seoul, passed the bar exam while attending Seoul University, and later became a prosecutor. The conglomerate SK Group that started in 2003
He was in charge of a number of major cases, including the accounting scandal at an affiliated company and the intervention in national politics under the Park Geun-hye administration that surfaced in 2016. Holds key positions in prosecutors, including the chief prosecutor of the Grand Public Prosecutors Office (Supreme Public Prosecutors Office)
He is said to have been an ``elite prosecutor'' and a close aide to President Yoon since his days as a prosecutor. He has served as the Minister of Justice since the inauguration of the Yun administration in May of the year before last. Highly popular among conservatives and a future presidential candidate
There are also voices of hope that he will serve as a supplement. In a poll conducted by the polling company Gallup Korea last month, 51% of people said that the opposition party should win in the April general election to keep the government in check.
This was higher than the number of respondents (35%) who said, "The ruling party should win in order to support the government." ``People's Power'' appointed Mr. Han to the party's top position in an effort to first restore support for the party. Mr. Han nominated
At the time, he expressed his desire to ``stand by the common people and the weak and prepare for the future of this country.'' Against this backdrop, the South Korean presidential office requested Han's resignation on the 21st. On the same day, the Chief of Secretary of the President's Office
He reportedly met with Han and asked him to resign. With the general election on the horizon, this is an unprecedented situation in which the presidential office and the top leadership of the ruling party are at odds. One of the reasons for the conflict is said to be the suspicions of President Yoon's wife, Kim Geun-hee.
The problem lies in the response to confusion. The suspicions arose after hidden camera footage was released showing Kim allegedly receiving a luxury brand bag from a Korean pastor living in the United States. The video is from September 2022.
It is believed that the photo was taken inside an art event planning company run by Kim. In South Korea, public servants and their spouses are prohibited from receiving money or goods over a certain amount in connection with their duties.
A violation of the Act has been pointed out. The video came to light after being exposed by domestic left-wing YouTube media. In response, the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan, said, ``YouTub
If e-Channel's claims are true, we must also clarify whether this is a clear violation or a bribe with a quid pro quo.'' On the other hand, this video is on YouTube
It was set up by a reporter from the e-channel ``Voice of Seoul,'' and has been criticized as a ``bait interview.'' According to reports, the footage shows the inside of the watch worn by the pastor who allegedly handed the bag to Kim.
It is said that the photo was taken with a store-bought camera, and that the ``Voice of Seoul'' reporter had given the bag to the pastor in advance. Regarding the allegations surrounding Mr. Kim, the presidential office said that Mr. Kim was the victim of a "sting interview" and did not respond to the allegations.
He took the position that there was no need for an explanation or apology. On the other hand, voices within ``People's Power'' called for Mr. Kim to apologize, and Mr. Han joined in by saying, ``I think there was something that the people were concerned about.''
"Uh," he said. He expressed his intention to respond from the ``people's perspective.'' The presidential office expressed displeasure with Han's response, and Presidential Secretary-General Lee Kwang-seop met with Han on the 21st and asked him to resign as chairman of the emergency response committee.
Ta. The Hankyoreh, a Korean newspaper, pointed out that since President Yoon took office, representatives of the People's Power have been replaced, and Han is the third representative, excluding temporary ones. Ahead of the general election on April 10th, the ruling party leadership is
"We are facing a crisis of replacement." Meanwhile, Han commented on the 21st, ``I'll do what I have to do.'' On the 22nd, he told reporters, ``My term of office will continue until after the general election,'' denying that he was resigning.
Ta. As the party's representative, Mr. Han has the role of leading the party in preparation for the April general election. Yonhap News reported, ``Mr. Han, who was known as President Yoon's confidant, has been left alone for his handling of Mr. Kim's suspicions.
It will be interesting to see if he continues to stand by his side and try to revise the relationship between the ruling party and the presidential office.''However, he added, ``With the general election just around the corner, there are concerns that the ruling party will split, and there is a possibility that the two sides may come to terms. and others
"I can do it," he said. On the 23rd, Mr. Yoon and Mr. Han were seen meeting and greeting each other at the site where they had visited the day before to inspect a large-scale fire that broke out in Chungcheongnam-do in central China.
Ta. When returning to Seoul, Mr. Han reportedly rode with Mr. Yoon on the presidential train. South Korean media has reported that the conflict has ended (Yonhap News).