(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Jan. 26)

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Han Dong-hoon, the interim leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), share a short-term goal: winning the April 10 general elections. If people share a goal, they have less reason to fight. But some do, particularly when their ideas on how to achieve it are poles apart and both are so hardheaded that neither side is ready to make concessions. When their ideas have little in common, it's tough to narrow their differences. If this is the case, the two sides are doomed to fight. This is what happened this week when Yoon and Han, once the president's right-hand man, were pitted against each other abruptly, albeit seemingly briefly. The reported cause of their confrontation was Han's decision to independently choose a candidate to run in the election on the PPP's ticket in the Mapo B electoral district of western Seoul. In an event held on Jan. 17, Han introduced Kim Kyung-ryul, a PPP interim committee member, as a candidate to compete against Rep. Jung Chung-rae of the Democrat ic Party of Korea in the election. Han's remark triggered controversy within the party as the PPP's selection committee has not officially confirmed Kim as the party's candidate. But everybody knew that was not the real reason behind Yoon's conflict with Han. Rather, Han drew the ire of Yoon over a remark about first lady Kim Keon Hee. The first lady has recently come under fire for accepting a luxury bag from a U.S.-based pastor at her office, in September 2022, months after her husband took office. The conversation between the pastor and the first lady was secretly recorded and surfaced on YouTube late last year, more than a year after the event. Kim has disappeared from the public eye since the scandal rocked the nation. Han acknowledged that the first lady was ensnared in a premeditated smear campaign orchestrated by the plotters to politicize the alleged "bribery" case. However, he expressed regret over some aspects of the first lady's behavior and stated that the public had valid reasons for concern. "It's an issue that needs to be reviewed from the general public's point of view," he said. His remark shows that he is on a different page than the presidential office regarding the Dior bag scandal. The presidential office flatly dismissed the scandal and characterized it as a hidden camera scam designed to shift public opinion against the ruling camp ahead of the elections. Han addressed the allegations as he was aware of the possible negative impact on public sentiment toward the ruling party and Yoon's approval rating. Silence is not the answer and those in the ruling camp need to do what they can to regain public trust. Han's decision to break the silence on the first lady's misstep is believed to have been done with a specific intention in mind. Han paid the price for his courage to stand up against the presidential couple. He was asked by the presidential office to step down, but refused. The relationship between the leader of the ruling party and the president suddenly soured. However, their relat ionship showed signs of getting back on track on Tuesday, two days after it erupted. Han backed down. He told reporters that he holds deep admiration for the president, but declined to provide extensive details on whether his relationship with Yoon has been completely restored. Han's concessions may have worked this time, but his relationship with Yoon will likely be tested again in the lead-up to the elections, mainly because of the difference in the way they see the luxury bag scandal. As the ruling party interim leader, Han will be tempted to solve the problem before the elections and ask the presidential office to reconsider its "keep quiet and do not respond" stance on the controversial issue, because without such an effort, he will lack credibility when appealing to voters to cast their ballots for the ruling party candidates. A PPP win in the upcoming elections hinges on how Han persuades Yoon to change his tune and accept mounting calls to address the actions of his wife. A recent YTN-EMBRAIN poll found nearly seven out of 10 Koreans surveyed believe that Yoon needs to explain the luxury bag scandal. Those who answered that Yoon doesn't need to explain it reached only 29 percent. The survey of 1,000 Koreans aged 18 or older was conducted between Jan. 21 and 22. This is a strong indicator that the ruling party will likely face a growing setback in the lead-up to the elections, necessitating Yoon to take more proactive steps -- including a sincere apology for the Dior bag scandal -- if he hopes to retain the public's trust. Source: Yonhap News Agency