"It Is True My Family Posted Critical Comments About President Yoon and His Wife"... Han Dong-hoon Says, "Nothing to Be Ashamed Of"

[Financial News] On the 30th, Han Dong-hoon, former leader of the People Power Party, stated, "I later learned that my family members had posted critical editorials and columns about former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife on the party's anonymous bulletin board."

Appearing on Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) radio's 'Joo Young-jin's News Direct' that afternoon, Han addressed the Party Affairs Audit Committee's findings that the account in question matched the names of five of his family members. He explained, "At the time the posts were written, I was not aware of it."
The so-called 'Party Members' Bulletin Board incident' refers to suspicions that Han's family was involved in posting defamatory comments about former President Yoon and his wife on the People Power Party's bulletin board in November last year.
In a press release, the Party Affairs Audit Committee stated, "The accounts in question match the names of five of Han's family members, and 87.6% of the posts were made from just two internet protocol (IP) addresses, indicating evidence of opinion manipulation." The committee officially confirmed Han's responsibility regarding the incident.
However, Han argued, "Today, the Party Affairs Committee announced as if I had posted under my own name, but I have never even registered on the party's website, so this is clearly false."
When asked why he had not clarified the situation over the past year, Han responded, "The bulletin board was set up by the party to allow members to post anonymously. We should not set a precedent of later tracking down those who post criticisms of the government or those in power."
He added, "Posting columns arguing that former President Yoon and Kim Keon Hee should be held accountable is not inherently wrong. If blame is to be assigned, it should not be to my family. This happened because I am a politician, so if anyone is to be criticized, it should be me."
Meanwhile, reactions within the party to the Party Affairs Audit Committee's announcement were sharply divided.
Kim Jong-hyuk, a former Supreme Council member and close ally of Han, criticized on his social media, "It is astonishing that Lee Hosun, the head of the Party Affairs Audit Committee, made this announcement on the very day Kim Byung-kee of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) resigned as floor leader. The political calculation seems almost intentional. It is rare to see such a series of unfortunate events."
On the other hand, Jang Yechan, deputy director of The Yeouido Institute and an appointee of party leader Jang, wrote, "This is a matter so shameful that it warrants retirement from politics. It is appalling that someone of this caliber briefly represented the People Power Party."
Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party and former People Power Party chair, commented, "The Party Affairs Audit Committee's investigation found that Han's family members also posted defamatory comments about me. I will consider it the actions of someone with a peculiar hobby, acting under another persona in a rather dark place."

moon@fnnews.com Moon Young-jin Reporter