Jin Joong-kwon says Han Dong-hoon may form new party if PPP return blocked

Kwangwoon University special professor Jin Joong-kwon has criticized Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon for his cautious stance on the return of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon to the People Power Party.

Appearing on Sisajournal TV's "Sisaekjjang" on Tuesday, Jin said it made no sense to discuss conservative reform and unity while leaving Han out of the conversation.

Oh had said Han's reinstatement should be premised on building broad consensus within the party and minimizing conflict, adding that the matter must be handled "as carefully as a glass bottle." Jin said that amounted to "a typical bystander's attitude, not a willingness to help Han return," and that Oh appeared to have no intention of lending his weight to the effort.

Jin said Oh views Han as a potential rival in the presidential race and is content to let the party machinery stay in the hands of the Jang Dong-hyeok faction while positioning himself as the consensus frontrunner. "It is a cowardly strategy — and a clear miscalculation — to do neither the reform needed to move the party from the far right toward the center, nor the work of unification," Jin said.

Jin warned that Oh could not realistically become a presidential contender while the Jang faction controls the party. "If he keeps hedging and loses his distinctiveness, he will lose all his supporters," Jin said.

Jin also raised the possibility that Han could launch a new party if his path back to the PPP is blocked. "If the road to reinstatement is closed, there is no choice but to go the route of founding a new party," Jin said, adding that such an outcome could leave the PPP struggling in Greater Seoul elections. He stressed, however, that Han should exhaust every effort to secure his return first.

Oh said Friday that Han's reinstatement must be premised on the support of a majority of party members and that conflict and division must be kept to a minimum. PPP lawmaker Kim Tae-ho had on Thursday called for Han's immediate reinstatement, while fellow lawmaker Yun Sang-hyeon proposed a conservative alliance bringing together Oh, Han and PPP leader Jang.