"special inspector" han donghoon threw a winning move...is it poison or medicine?

■ Host: Chang Won-seok Anchor
■ Starring: Lee Jong-hoon, Political Critic, Cha Jae-won, Special Professor of Busan Catholic University

* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information. Please specify [YTN Newswide] when quoting.

[Anchor]
Chin-gye and pro-Yoon-gye internal feuds are intensifying over the promotion of the appointment of a special inspector. Attention is focusing on whether CEO Han Dong-hoon's winning move, which was proposed as a solution for Kim Gun-hee, will work. Let's take a look at major political issues with Lee Jong-hoon, a current affairs critic, and Cha Jae-won, a special professor at the Catholic University of Busan. Please come in. A war of nerves continues over the party's leadership authority to promote the special inspector. Representative Han Dong-hoon and floor leader Choo Kyung-ho met today. Let's continue after hearing the voices of the two.

[Han Dong-hoon / Representative of People's Power: Former President Park Chung-hee led change and reform with a spirit of challenge and patriotism. / I will also take the path of change and reform in the power of our people. ]

[Choo Kyung-ho / People's Power Floor Leader: We need to do more for the people's livelihood, security, peaceful reunification, and above all, for the unity of our people. That's what I think. ]

[Anchor]
If you look at what he said after the memorial service, the keywords are clearly divided. CEO Han Dong-hoon said, "Change and reform." What did you mean by that?

[Jonghun Lee]
It is difficult to go as it is. It has this kind of connotation. Not long ago, he reportedly talked about personnel reshuffling in Yongsan during a meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol.Starting with that, if we don't respond more actively to the risks related to First Lady Kim Gun-hee, we could face even more difficulties than now, including the president of Yoon Suk Yeol and the party. That's what it looks like to have this perception.

[Anchor]
Floor leader Choo Kyung-ho emphasized unity and unity. Strangely, the two have different opinions. How did you like it?

[Borrowing]
From the floor leader Choo Kyung-ho's point of view, a kind of clash with the presidential office in Yongsan itself is not desirable. That's why I'm saying that we need to go together.Nevertheless, I think that the part of change and innovation that CEO Han Dong-hoon talked about might have reached the people more. In fact, I don't think it's a story to the people, but I think it's a story to the president of Yoon Suk Yeol. We can't get through it without the president changing as the public wants and the personnel reshuffle of the presidential office in Yongsan, which is now assisting the president incorrectly. While talking about those parts that not only the Yoon Suk Yeol government goes wrong, but also that the entire conservative camp could be wiped out. And on the other hand, you also used the words patriotism and challenge. Patriotism itself is what I hear. I thought that CEO Han Dong-hoon should not be complacent in the position of the highest authority, but rather constantly change the public sentiment, because he needs to think about the country first rather than his wife's problems.

[Anchor]
The current conflict over the appointment of a special inspector seems to be a turning point in the general meeting of lawmakers. First of all, CEO Han Dong-hoon wants to shake off the risk of First Lady Kim Gun-hee before Lee Jae-myung's first trial is sentenced, so will this work?

[Jonghun Lee]
Well, it doesn't seem easy. Isn't it that floor leader Choo Kyung-ho will hold a general meeting of lawmakers after the parliamentary audit and ask for their opinions? So, if opinions are not gathered well, in the end, we have no choice but to make a decision through a vote of lawmakers. However, behind the fact that floor leader Choo Kyung-ho said he would hand it over to the general meeting of lawmakers, he has been linking it to the issue of appointing a director of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation. The opposition party is delaying the appointment, so if you link this and deal with it over there, we will deal with it as well. It's a situation where it's tied like this. That's what we should see as the existing party platform. In order to change the party's theory, we need a resolution process at the general meeting of the lawmakers. Considering President Yoon Suk Yeol's will and floor leader Choo Kyung-ho's continued remarks, he does not seem to be very active in the appointment of a special inspector. If it's such a situation, wouldn't the answer be fixed even if we vote? So, through the process, I will ultimately reject this and hurt CEO Han Dong-hoon, and I will hurt leadership. I wonder if this is the will of the presidential office and the will of the pro-yoon faction, including floor leader Choo Kyung-ho. CEO Han Dong-hoon seems to think of the special inspector as a kind of weak link. minimal action from So, there are various suspicions related to First Lady Kim Gun-hee, and there is a lot of controversy, but this must be done at least to overcome the risk. I think that's what I'm thinking. I think that's why I'm trying to solve this somehow. However, it is unlikely to overcome this crisis easily because the presidential office and the pro-Yoon faction are reacting like that, and if this is not done properly, Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the party, will probably have a much more heated attack on the leadership from the pro-Yoon faction in the future. That's what I think.

[Anchor]
The pro-Yoon-gye's attack continues even now, but Daegu Mayor Hong Joon Pyo said, "Only the ruling party is making a fuss," and "It's an immature rampage." How do you rate it?

[Borrowing]
I don't really agree with the mayor of Hong Joon Pyo. If the mayor of Hong Joon Pyo is the representative of the ruling party, will he be able to stop the anger and demands of the people? I think if Mayor Hong was the leader of the ruling party, he would have made a stronger demand to the presidential office than representative Han Dong-hoon. In fact, from Mayor Hong's point of view, CEO Han Dong-hoon could be his political rival. Even so, even if representative Han Dong-hoon hates it, I think it is right to go back to what the people want now and defend only President Yoon.

[Anchor]
When will the general meeting be held? The close circle says it should be held right away next week, but floor leader Choo Kyung-ho says, "Let's hold it after the audit of the steering committee on November 1st." There is a saying that it will not be easy to find a point of contact due to a competition of votes even if it is opened, so what do you predict?

[Jonghun Lee]
That's right. Don't we roughly expect how the discussion will proceed even if we hold a general meeting of lawmakers? Close lawmakers will strongly insist on doing this in support of Han Dong-hoon, while pro-Yoon lawmakers have no reason to overturn the existing party platform, including floor leader Choo Kyung-ho. As a result, there is a high possibility that the opposition party will use such a strategy to hinder the appointment of a special inspector, such as why we should concede this when it comes out like that. I think we will have no choice but to proceed in the form of a generational decision when we face such a tight race, and eventually we will have no choice but to make a final decision by voting. Moreover, since the general meeting of the lawmakers is a process in which floor leader Choo Kyung-ho has the right to decide, I think it is very likely that floor leader Choo Kyung-ho will vote on this. However, there are not that many so-called close people, including CEO Han Dong-hoon. Recently, there have been a lot of gatherings and 22 people are talking about it, and among them, 21 active lawmakers are said to be active lawmakers. It is unclear whether they are all perfect close friends, but how many votes will they vote according to the will of representative Han Dong-hoon when they are voted for? And even if all 21 people side with CEO Han Dong-hoon, it will be rejected as a result. Therefore, Han Dong-hoon is at a disadvantage from the standpoint of representative Han Dong-hoon. That's what I thought. Personally, I'm a little doubtful why CEO Han Dong-hoon brought this issue to the fore immediately after the meeting with the president. So, rather than this, I think it would have been more likely to have been a conflict with Kim Gun-hee's Special Counsel Act or other issues of higher public interest.

[Anchor]
How do you predict that the alliance will become a tipping point and the close and pro-Yoon-gye conflict will intensify?

[Borrowing]
Well, after all, I think that the middle-of-the-road members who are watching this situation in silence are eventually holding the key. As you mentioned earlier, close friends have fewer numbers than close friends, which is why I think from the perspective of close friends, if we go to a vote contest, we can put an end to this situation itself. But that in itself can be quite a misjudgment for me. So, this means that whether Chin-yoon wins or close friends wins, if a vote is held on this issue and a decision is made, this will inevitably result in the entire power of the people. If you lose a close relationship, the co-operation between the government and the government itself will inevitably collapse with the presidential office. In that case, from the point of view of the close circle, if the Special Prosecutor Kim Gun-hee Act is re-decided by the Democratic Party of Korea, it can be quite deviated. Likewise, from the point of view of the pro-Yoon community, even if the close friends win, they cannot readily accept it. The conflict between the party and the government is bound to grow deeper and deeper, so it is the stage of this politics after all. If so, I think the answer is clear if we use our political power and look truthfully and honestly at what the public is hoping for. Of course, even in my opinion, it may be shallow for representative Han Dong-hoon to break through this situation as a special inspector, but in a situation where the conflict with the president is deepening like this, the scope of his actions is inevitably limited. Therefore, I think that after seeing the flow of public sentiment after carrying out the special inspector, I have no choice but to go one step further and go to the special prosecutor law. For now, CEO Han Dong-hoon seems to have no choice but to do his best to carry out the special inspector.

[Anchor]
You talked about the public sentiment. Let's look at the president's approval rating. Once again, there is a lot of talk about it as it hits the lowest level. 20% positive and 70% negative, how should I interpret this now?

[Jonghun Lee]
Some people are even asking if it is true that we have kept 20%. If you look closely at the contents of the poll, in the case of Gallup Korea, it is rounded up, so in reality, it is about 19.88%, but it is 20% by rounding up. I think it's highly likely that it's the result of a slight correction. So, how should we accept this part from the presidential office or the power of the people? I think the presidential office and the power of the people should never try to interpret this in a better way than it actually is.
I think it's a situation where we have to respond on the premise that we've already reached 10%. And as you can see if you look closely at the Gallup Korea poll, the most negative respondents picked is about Kim Gun-hee. In that sense, it is a situation in which Mrs. Kim's risk continues even after the by-elections are over, and it is difficult to rebound in her approval rating without solving this. This is the fact. You have to take this as a premise and respond. I talked about Kim Gunhee's special prosecutor's law.Even if CEO Ma Han Dong-hoon carries out the special inspector's approval rating, will this actually rebound? Personally, it's very questionable. So the gap is too wide with the level that the people want. So, in the case of a special inspector, in a word, it's a promise to the future. I'll do well in the future. This is very meaningful, but more than that, the people cannot move on to various suspicions related to Kim. It is a kind of people's order to find out this in some way and to find out through an independent counsel because the prosecution is not properly investigating it. In that respect, I think it may become more difficult in the future if the strategy is not well conceived at the level of people's power and at the level of the presidential office.

[Anchor]
The 30% wall has collapsed in the TK area, where the core support base is located. The Boolean diameter is also 27%. However, in the Geumjeong by-elections, 61% of them supported the People's Power candidate, and CEO Han Dong-hoon paradoxically said that there is a change in approval rating here, what do you think this means?

[Borrowing]
First of all, there is room for change, as you mentioned earlier, there was a by-election about 10 days ago. From there, 61% of the support came out, and if the current approval rating for the president is 27%, if there is a significant difference, it means that the gap can be filled depending on our efforts. The problem is that CEO Han Dong-hoon is not an effort that can be made alone. The people don't agree with it without President Yoon's changes in state affairs and personnel reshuffles. And you just said it.The most unusual problem in this poll is that the first priority of the president's negative evaluation is Kim Gun-hee's risk. I've been watching politics for a long time.Ma said that until then, it was the first time for any president to have political embarrassment as an indicator because of a problem related to his wife. The president's perception of the situation itself is not that at all. I am restraining myself from activities enough to control myself. And this perception that it is nothing more than overlooking the political attacks of the opposition. Because of these parts, the system of special inspector immediately. Even if it does happen, it is a system of monitoring future problems, but unless this attitude of not looking back on the past problems changes, no matter how much 61% of the by-elections came out, Han Dong-hoon is probably saying that this is not sustainable in the future, and I think both the pro-Yoon and the presidential office are aware of this situation itself.

[Anchor]
The day after meeting with representative Han Dong-hoon, President Yoon Suk Yeol went to Beomeosa Temple in Busan. You said you would get hit even if you threw a stone there, but after the polls came out, are you willing to listen to the public's voice more or change? Or how do you rate it?

[Jonghun Lee]
It is highly likely that he judged that the results of the poll were more serious than he thought. The Gallup Korea survey is also a survey, but I understand that the president's office continues to poll on its own. The results will probably never be favorable. That part was reflected. So, maintaining the 20% level and going down to the 10% level are very different. It's almost like impeachment, to say that it's going to be in 10%. Furthermore, the president's office was probably shocked by the fact that it expected a rebound, but it did not. It is highly likely that the president of Yoon Suk Yeol and the president's office are now judging that the issue of First Lady Kim Gun-hee has been resolved roughly legally. The prosecution eventually took care of the luxury bag issue and the Deutsche Motors case. So legally, it's all finished. If so, it is normal if it no longer works as a risk, but it works as a risk. It's actually showing up in the polls. As this happens, if you turn a blind eye to it too much, it may be seen as arrogant to the public, but it is not desirable to go in that direction. You have to lower your posture a little bit. I think it's a response based on this judgment.

[Anchor]
On the other hand, a controversy arose over the explanation given by the presidential office. The president's office said that the report that Mrs. Kim Kun-hee made 2.3 billion won in profits regarding the manipulation of Deutsche Motors' stock price was not true, and that it was wrong when the prosecution submitted it to the first trial court during the Moon Jae In government.

[Borrowing]
That's right. In fact, the prosecution gave the prosecution's opinion to the court after the regime was changed, saying that the profits related to Kim Gun-hee's stock price manipulation were 2.3 billion won. It was December 2022, so the so-called Yoon Suk Yeol Prosecutor's Office paid for it. And the fact that the court didn't acknowledge the 2.3 billion is that it was actually wrong. Since the trial related to this case was not held, the court had no reason to calculate the profits related to the manipulation of Kim Gun-hee's stock price, and there was no reason to mention it, so the story itself that the court did not admit it is a wrong story. The fact that I am telling the wrong story in Yongsan itself is, in a word, a line that supports the story that the human line related to Mrs. Kim Gun-hee should be replaced. It's a state that's bound to be a typical rake-up story. If various explanations from the president's office continue to be made, especially about the president and his wife, are constantly being criticized, in fact, I think a major personnel reshuffle is inevitable for the staff who are currently assisting them in this regard.

[Anchor]
On the other hand, the Democratic Party of Korea announced the passage of the Kim Gun-hee Special Prosecutor Act at the plenary session on the 14th of next month. The Democratic Party of Korea says it will reflect the ruling party's opinions, including the scope of the Democratic Party's investigation, as much as possible Is there any possibility of receiving it from the power of the people except for the suspicion related to Myung Tae-kyun?

[Jonghun Lee]
It's going to be a little bit more likely. That's what I'm aiming for. So, Kim Gun-hee has already proposed the third independent counsel law. In that state, the Democratic Party cannot miss this opportunity because, in fact, the atmosphere is heating up. In a way, public anger against First Lady Kim Gun-hee has almost reached its maximum. If we push more here, we could hold a candlelight vigil on impeachment if we do well. I think they're making this judgment, too. So, you push a little more on the edge of the cliff. It seems that they are making this judgment, and the Special Prosecutor Kim Gun-hee Act is a kind of flower-play band for the Democratic Party. If the National Assembly passes it again this time, the president will veto it again. Then, the president's burden becomes more burdensome. As a matter of fact, with the approval rating for the implementation of state affairs falling further in relation to First Lady Kim Gun-hee, it is inevitably more burdensome. In addition to that, this is a very strong aspect of pressuring CEO Han Dong-hoon. Moreover, if the ruling party alleviates and passes even the part that is said to be toxic and sends it to the president, there is a higher possibility of a vote of departure at the re-decision even if it is rejected and returned. There were four votes last time, but if the number of leave votes increases by one or two more this time, it is almost certain that there is a crack in the power of the people. In that way, there is also an aspect that can cause more cracks. So, I think there is a possibility that this case will come up with a third proposal that is almost similar to the Special Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon's Kim Gun-hee Act.

[Anchor]
What do you think about the possibility that the ruling party's departure votes will be higher than before when the special prosecution law is introduced and passed and then returned to the National Assembly with the exercise of the president's right to demand reconsideration?

[Borrowing]
First of all, I think it's up to President Yoon Suk Yeol and pro-Yoon. The minimum demand that CEO Han Dong-hoon is asking for is the special inspector. In this regard, if Chin-yoon took the lead by Yongsan's instructions and followed the vote, we won by a vote. In this case, if the close community believes that the power of the people as well as the Yoon Suk Yeol regime will be destroyed, there is a possibility that a considerable number of people will leave if the special prosecution law on Kim Gun-hee, which is being pursued by the Democratic Party, is re-decided in any way. On the contrary, President Yoon and pro-Yoon are good, then I will accept the special inspector that representative Han Dong-hoon is demanding. If this way shows signs of change in its own way, let's wait and see for a while the shock therapy itself, which is the Special Prosecutor Act related to First Lady Kim Gun-hee, from the perspective of close lawmakers. Since there is a possibility of turning around in this way, I think whether or not there is a breakaway vote related to this depends on what kind of response Yongsan and pro-Yoon-gye respond to in the end.

[Anchor]
There is about a minute left, but there is not much talk about the meeting between the ruling and opposition parties. What can the agenda go up and actually be pushed forward?

[Jonghun Lee]
Well, there are reports like this, as if there is no concrete negotiation. Nevertheless, I think there is a high possibility that behind-the-scenes contact is underway. It is presumed that the agenda is the most difficult factor in the process of behind-the-scenes contact. In particular, in terms of the Kim Gun-hee Special Prosecutor Act, representative Han Dong-hoon is planning a strategy to resolve the special inspector system first and then move on to the Special Prosecutor Act, while representative Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party are implementing the Kim Gun-hee Special Prosecutor Act first. He's also going on the offensive. In such a situation, let's not put the issue of Kim Gun-hee's independent counsel law on the spot that day. I think other topics are mainly related to people's livelihoods, but the consultative body is scheduled to proceed as agreed at the first round of talks next week. When it comes to the
issue, it doesn't seem to be a big issue.

[Anchor]
I see. Major political issues Lee Jong-hoon, current affairs critic, Cha Jae-won, a special professor at the Catholic University of Busan. Thank you both.