People Power Party (PPP) Representative Ahn Cheol-soo has firmly opposed the potential return of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon to the party, stating, "I hope you do not even think about coming near our party anymore." This follows a recent public dispute between the two over testimony provided in court regarding the December 3 martial law declaration.

During a press conference at the National Assembly on July 12, Representative Ahn said, "It was certainly not Han alone who stopped the martial law. Why must the history of that day be reduced to a heroic narrative of only one person, Han Dong-hoon?"

Previously, on July 8, Representative Ahn appeared as a witness in the trial of Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho, who is charged with obstructing the vote to lift the emergency martial law. During the testimony, Ahn stated, "I understand that the person who first instructed People Power Party lawmakers to gather at the party headquarters instead of the National Assembly was then-party leader Han Dong-hoon." Han strongly refuted this, labeling it as "false agitation."

In response, Representative Ahn criticized Han and his pro-Han faction lawmakers, saying, "They attacked, mocked, and denounced a senior member of their own party for testifying to the facts in court. Defining a colleague within the party as an enemy and focusing on public opinion warfare is defamation of an individual and a clear act of harming the party."

Ahn further emphasized, "It is obvious what will happen if he returns to the party, given how he is acting even while outside of it. The entire party will fall into factional conflict and exhaustive infighting, leading to a catastrophic situation where we cannot even dream of winning the general election."

Regarding reports that the party's ethics committee is reviewing disciplinary motions against some pro-Han lawmakers who directly or indirectly supported the independent lawmaker Han during his election, Ahn stated, "There needs to be some level of resolution regarding the issue of our party's lawmakers supporting an independent candidate when our party already had an officially nominated candidate."

(Photo: Yonhap News)