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Han Dong-hoon leaves the Justice Ministry complex in Gwacheon on Dec. 21 after being relieved of his duties. (Yonhap)

The People Power Party announced on Thursday that it will appoint Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon as its interim leader. A former prosecutor, Han is known as one of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s most trusted confidants. Han will effectively act as the party’s leader up through the general election in 2024. Han’s appointment is a regressive nomination that only serves to solidify Yoon’s system of direct control over the party.

Yun Jae-ok, the acting party leader, announced the party’s decision to appoint Minister Han as the interim leader at a press conference on Thursday. This was only eight days after Kim Gi-hyeon, the party’s former leader, resigned on Dec. 13. Han’s appointment will be officially confirmed at a meeting of the party’s national committee on Tuesday.

The People Power Party claims that the decision to appoint Han came after surveying party members’ opinions through general meetings and discussions, yet the truth is Yoon’s opinion was the only one that ultimately mattered. The presidential office began vetting potential successors to replace Han as justice minister a long time ago. That says it all.

Han is known as a close confidant to Yoon. During his days as a public prosecutor, he worked with Yoon during the latter’s stint as special prosecutor for the Choi Soon-sil scandal and other investigative purges. When Yoon was making his mark on the world as chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and as prosecutor general, Han was his right-hand man. After Yoon became president, Han was appointed as justice minister, the seat of power that essentially directs prosecutors.

Han also vetted appointments for key high-ranking positions within the Yoon administration, something the presidential office is supposed to do. Han has claimed that he’s “never offered anybody complete obedience,” but it’s clear that Han’s fate is intertwined with Yoon’s. Now, Yoon’s party is offering him the seat of interim leader.

Not only has Han never headed a political party, but he also has no experience in politics whatsoever. So why did Yoon appoint him to lead the ruling party? When asked this question, acting party ruler Yun Jae-ok responded that Han is “the party’s youngest, most refreshing interim leader” who can “meet the people’s expectations for change, reform and a new future.” But the people are unlikely to believe this claim.

Once again, however, Yoon has ignored the people’s will. When the people elected the opposition to head Gangseo District in the October by-election, they issued a yellow card to the administration, crying out for an end to the unilateral, authoritative relationship between the government and the ruling party. Yoon vowed to enhance communication between the administration and the ruling party, claiming that “the people are always right,” but it ended at that.

Following his farcical Cabinet reshuffle designed to renew his cards for the general election, Yoon handpicked Han to represent him in the National Assembly. Han’s nomination was Yoon expressing his intentions to tighten his grip on the ruling party and solidify his system of one-man, direct control over it.

In his farewell address as justice minister, Han declared that “the common sense of the Korean people is my compass.” But will he really listen to the people as the ruling party’s interim leader? Yoon and Han must bear the consequences of Han’s appointment.

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