Han posts on Facebook moments after resignation: 'I will move forward with the people'

Kim vows to expose what he calls Han's illegal leak and fabrication of investigation secrets

Kim Seung-won, nominee for minister of justice, stepped down Saturday, saying he had decided "after deep deliberation to relinquish the nomination." Kim is pictured at his confirmation hearing Tuesday. [Yonhap]
Kim Seung-won, nominee for minister of justice, stepped down Saturday, saying he had decided "after deep deliberation to relinquish the nomination." Kim is pictured at his confirmation hearing Tuesday. [Yonhap]

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon called the withdrawal of Ministry of Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won on Saturday "a victory for the people."

In a Facebook post published moments after Kim's resignation press conference, Han wrote that "the people have won," despite what he described as the Democratic Party of Lee Jae Myung throwing its full weight behind defending the nomination as "a better appointment the more you look at it." He added that he would "move forward together with everyone, keeping only the people in sight."

Han had positioned himself as Kim's chief critic from the moment President Lee Jae Myung announced the nomination, labeling the allegations surrounding Kim — suspicions that he lobbied for approval of a COVID-19 new drug clinical trial — the "oppa poison lobby" and leading the charge against him.

Even during the National Assembly confirmation hearing Tuesday, Han — who was not a member of the hearing panel — mounted an unofficial parallel hearing, using SNS and other platforms to rebut Kim's statements in near real time.

Meanwhile, Kim used his resignation press conference to signal a counteroffensive against Han, vowing to "expose the full truth of the targeted investigation by the political prosecutors of Yoon Suk Yeol and Han Dong-hoon, and of Han Dong-hoon's illegal leaking and fabrication of investigation secrets." He also said the episode "proved to the public the necessity of prosecutorial reform."

The bitter political rivalry between Kim and Han appears set to continue for some time.


shindw@heraldcorp.com