Yoo Seong-min urges Han Dong-hoon to embrace unity, hold back criticism

Former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min said Monday that independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon should "feel a sense of obligation toward unity and refrain from criticizing or attacking one another."

Speaking on YTN Radio, Yoo said, "Let's not look ahead to 2030 at all. We should win the general election in April 2028 first, and then compete individually after that."

On the question of Han rejoining the People Power Party, Yoo said Han has "remarkable agility and fighting spirit, and there is clearly a segment of the public that supports him." He stressed that what matters most is whether the next party leadership convention can produce leadership capable of genuine integration, change and — above all — victory in Greater Seoul. "In that case, Han Dong-hoon should of course come back in," he said.

Yoo welcomed the appellate court's not-guilty ruling for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, calling it "a truly welcome development." He said that from the conservative party's standpoint, having Oh fully cleared — ideally through a final Supreme Court acquittal — "will be a tremendous help in broadening our base, winning the general election and pooling our strength."

Yoo argued that the conservative camp must pursue broad unification. "Bringing together everyone from People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok to Lee Jun-seok and Han Dong-hoon is an enormously difficult task, but it has to be done," he said. He added that Jang, if he wants to seek another term, should settle the matter at a party convention on the strength of his own leadership record.

"Refrain from criticizing and attacking each other, and if we can align around the single goal of winning the general election, I believe we must all come together," Yoo said. "No matter how late it gets, we have to show a united front before the general election and fight it as one."