Oh Se-hoon, Han Dong-hoon back conservative unity; PPP chief Jang sounds caution

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon each called Tuesday for conservative bloc unity ahead of future general and presidential elections, while People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok pushed back, warning that such moves could deepen divisions rather than heal them.

Han spoke to reporters after attending a forum on party reform at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on Tuesday morning. "As I have said before, politics in the national interest is about principle, not personal ties," he said. "A vision for solving problems matters more than political engineering."

Han added that his only concern was overcoming the current crisis and advancing the country. "I think many people need to come together. I am not thinking about who I am close to or not close to," he said.

At the forum, Han took aim at the PPP leadership, saying the party was being run "like a private circle — as if seizing party control is the only goal and decisions only need to be made among our own members." He stressed that "the party belongs to the people."

Oh spoke to reporters after attending a policy forum at the National Assembly on Tuesday titled "World Heritage and the Future of Cities: Finding a Path to Coexistence." He said he would seek "harmony and unity through candid dialogue on how to pool strength and lay the groundwork for victory in the general and presidential elections."

Oh mentioned a chance encounter with Han at the funeral home for the late father of PPP lawmaker Kim Seong-won on Monday. "I will visit Han and anyone else in our party and listen to their views," Oh said. "It has been so long since we met that footage from a year or two ago keeps getting used — it does not look good to see that kind of archival footage. I said it would be good to meet soon."

Oh added that since the previous weekend he had repeatedly made clear through various interviews and public appearances that "there is no one I cannot meet and no one I cannot join forces with." He warned that if the conservative bloc were to lose the next general election, "there is a risk of extending the term of this lawless administration — one that does not recognize the separation of powers, that seeks to bring the judiciary entirely under its grip, and that treats the administration and the judiciary as mere subjects of governance."

PPP leader Jang, speaking to reporters after announcing the party's budget proposal for next year, was asked about a broad conservative merger. "If unity and alliance end up deepening conflict, that runs counter to the very purpose," Jang said. "On the question of unity and alliance, the party leadership will proceed by consulting the wishes of party members."