[the300],
From left, Han Dong-hoon, Yoon Sang-hyun, Won Hee-ryong, and Na Kyung-won, candidates for the leadership of the People Power Party / Photo=National Assembly Photojournalist Association (Newsis), ‘Han Dong-hoon, a candidate for the leadership of the People Power Party, apologized for his statement just a day after revealing that Na Kyung-won, a candidate for the party leadership, had asked him to cancel the indictment in the fast-track case during his tenure as Minister of Justice, saying he “was not cautious.” ‘,
,
, “During this process, as Han’s rivals, including Na, strongly criticized him, the controversy has rapidly emerged as a last-minute variable in the People Power Party’s leadership election. Attention is focused on what impact this controversy will have on the perception of Han as the inevitable leader.”,
,
, ‘According to the political circle on the 19th, Na criticized Han and said to the reporters after attending a regular seminar of the New Future Preparation Group (Saemi Jun) at a hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul that “(Han) seems to lack discernment between what should be said and what should not be said.” Candidate Won Hee-ryong also told reporters, “Our party members seriously worry and judge whether someone without a sense of solidarity can take charge of this party.” ‘,
,
, ‘Many People Power Party lawmakers are also reported to have criticized Han. Rep. Yoon Han-hong posted a message criticizing Han in a chatroom where all party members gather. Some lawmakers are known to have posted remarks such as “It is not something the party leader should say.” ‘,
,
, ‘Amid these circumstances, Han conveyed his apology through his social media. He wrote, “I regret that I was not cautious” and stated, “The incident was something that happened as I stepped forward for our party in the process of preventing evil laws such as the Act on the Establishment of a Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) The intention was not to denigrate those who are suffering from this.” ‘,
,
, ‘Political observers predict that this controversy could work against Han. A lawmaker from the Yeongnam region said in a call with Money Today The300, “We need to observe the atmosphere a little more, but there are opinions from some that Han was excessive” and said, “(This incident) will certainly not be advantageous for Han.” ‘,
,
Han Dong-hoon, candidate for the leadership of the People Power Party / Photo=newsis (joint coverage), ‘However, some believe that the impact will not be significant. Another lawmaker from the Yeongnam region said, “Han’s disclosure has had a somewhat negative impact on the perception of ruling party lawmakers. However, the impact on the majority of party members’ voting intentions could be minimal.” ‘,
,
, ‘Eom Kyung-young, director of the Sejong Institute for Democracy and Leadership, pointed out, “Han’s disclosure highlights the sacrifice Na made for the party. Na may gain some advantage, while Han, who exposed internal affairs, may suffer a little. The fact that this controversy has surfaced as a last-minute variable is clear. However, given Han’s strong support in public opinion, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on the race.” ‘,
,
, ‘Legal experts see a low possibility of Na’s request being a legal issue. A lawyer who used to be a prosecutor stated, “It is hard to view one seeking clemency or cancellation of indictment for their case as illegal,” adding, “Politically inappropriate but legally punishable are separate issues.” ‘,
,
, ‘There are opinions that actual cancellation of the indictment is very rare. A legal expert mentioned, “The power to cancel indictments lies with the prosecutor in charge, so even if a request is made to the Minister of Justice, it would be meaningless,” and said, “Moreover, canceling an indictment means that the prosecution admits their indictment was incorrect, so unless clear evidence to the contrary is presented, it rarely happens.” ‘,
,
, ‘On the 17th, Han stated during a morning broadcast debate that “Na had requested the cancellation of the indictment in the fast-track case.” When Na criticized and accused the Minister of failing to arrest Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party leader, during his tenure as Minister, he responded that specific investigations cannot be intervened in. ‘,
,
, ‘In 2019, Na was indicted for obstruction of parliamentary law when the main opposition party at the time, the Liberty Korea Party (predecessor of the People Power Party), physically obstructed the receipt of bills designated as fast-track for processing such as the CIO law by the Democratic Party of Korea and was charged with violating the National Assembly Act.’, ‘article_split’,