Daily barrage targets new drug clinical trial lobbying allegations

Democratic Party: 'He should reflect on himself first'

Han: 'We must overturn politics through conservative rebuilding'

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon answers reporters' questions about allegations surrounding Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won as he arrives for a plenary session at the National Assembly on Friday. [Yonhap]
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon answers reporters' questions about allegations surrounding Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won as he arrives for a plenary session at the National Assembly on Friday. [Yonhap]

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon is escalating his attacks on the Lee Jae Myung administration through Facebook, dramatically increasing his output to more than 30 posts a day, with Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won squarely in his sights.

Han posted more than 30 items on Facebook on Friday, according to political sources. Even setting aside content related to "Gupo Day," a local constituency event, the count still exceeded 20. A large share of the posts criticized allegations surrounding nominee Kim, including claims that he lobbied on behalf of a clinical trial for a new drug.

The offensive began early in the morning. Around 6 a.m. Friday, Han wrote on Facebook that lawmaker Song Yeong-gil had called the alleged lobbying of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety by Kim's younger sister — who runs a hostess bar — a "legitimate constituent request," and had "viciously attacked" Han for criticizing it. "I wonder how many times Rep. Song has done favors like this for close friends," Han added.

Han then released audio recordings of phone calls between nominee Kim and a broker named Yang Su-jin, asking, "Is this what President Lee Jae Myung and the Democratic Party consider resolving a matter of public interest?"

The criticism continued throughout the day. "The real grievances Lee Jae Myung and the Democratic Party should be addressing are those of the victims of Genencell — not the grievances of a hostess bar owner's younger sister," Han said. "Is what the Democratic Party calls a 'public interest request' actually a criminal one? This rotten politics must be overturned."

Political observers see Han's recent moves as an extension of his long-stated push to "rebuild conservatism." Since leaving the People Power Party and winning a National Assembly seat as an independent in a by-election, he has been aggressively engaging with major issues facing the government and ruling party, analysts say, building his political profile in the process. Some interpret his actions as an effort to carve out a distinct identity as an independent conservative voice — particularly as People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok focuses on consolidating his grip on the party.

The Democratic Party also sharpened its tone toward Han. Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok said at a supreme council meeting Friday that Han was "suddenly firing in all directions without reflecting on matters he himself should be reflecting on." Kim added that Han appeared to keep targeting the Democratic Party because the PPP was ignoring him, and urged him to "maintain a consistent focus on the direction of his legislative work."

Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Yeong-gyo said on YTN Radio that the allegations against nominee Kim had been investigated for three years with 11 prosecutors assigned to the case — and that Han Dong-hoon had been justice minister and Yoon Suk Yeol president at the time. The remark was aimed at highlighting that the investigation into Kim took place under the Yoon administration.

With confirmation hearings for ministerial nominees continuing through the Chuseok holiday, Han's offensive shows no sign of letting up for now. On Saturday, Han posted on Facebook: "The private abuse of public power is corruption. The Democratic Party is officially saying that corruption is the mission of politics. We must rebuild conservatism and overturn all of this."


mp1256@heraldcorp.com