▲ People Power Party Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon greet each other while attending the 2026 National Public Policy Forum held at the CCMM Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on June 16.
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon emphasized the necessity of his return to the People Power Party today (June 16), stating, "Even those who oppose me have called me a vital strategic asset or weapon for the conservative bloc. Why keep that weapon in reserve? The time has come to truly fight."
This marks a shift from his previous stance of "not rushing" the issue of his return, suggesting he is now leaning toward a swift reentry, citing the need to strengthen the party's ability to challenge the opposition.
Appearing on the JoongAng Ilbo YouTube channel 'Hwang Hyun-hee's Uncomfortable Yeouido' today, Han said, "There is a golden time for the task of conservative reconstruction. Now, while the Lee Jae-myung administration is embroiled in mudslinging, is the golden time for conservative reconstruction," adding, "There is no need to delay this due to emotional issues or the personal insecurities of individual politicians."
Addressing the opposition to his return within the People Power Party, he stressed, "Ahead of a great battle to reconstruct the conservative bloc, if there is a reason not to use the most prominent weapon available, that is a matter for those who wish not to use it to explain."
He continued, "When the Tang Dynasty invaded Goguryeo, Yeon Gaesomun did not prevent Yang Manchun from fighting at Ansi Fortress just because they were on bad terms," adding, "This is not about the internal interests of politicians, but a time to gather strength for the sake of the entire conservative movement in a broader framework."
Han also reiterated his call for the resignation of People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, stating, "The assessment has already been made."
Regarding Jang's attempt to dismiss calls for his resignation by citing the recent rise in party approval ratings, Han argued, "The figures reflect the hope that 'conservative reconstruction is possible,' driven by the support that I, Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and lawmaker Yoo Eui-dong have garnered while excluding Jang Dong-hyeok," adding, "The numbers could go even higher without leader Jang."
When asked which standing committee he would like to serve on, Han replied, "I would like to be in a position where I can more actively work on the big picture of the nation and for the Buk-gu district of Busan, such as the Strategy and Finance Committee, the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee, or the National Policy Committee. I also think it would be good to serve on the Public Administration and Security Committee to properly reform the National Election Commission without holding back."
(Photo: Provided by Kookmin Ilbo, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.