Odd silence

Ruling People Power Party Chairman Han Dong-hoon / Yonhap PPP leader Han should clarify malicious post allegations Han Dong-hoon, chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), broke his silence about allegations that he and his family members took advantage of an online privacy rule to upload malicious posts about President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee. On Thursday, Han denied those allegations, claiming that he tried to avoid responding to each and every allegation because he didn't want such a relatively minor issue to steal the show, which in turn would cause more significant issues to be sidelined. “There are tons of critical issues and I was trying hard to focus on issues like the court’s ruling of the main opposition party leader and bread and butter issues.

I chose to refrain from commenting on relatively minor issues,” he told reporters on Thursday. Han revealed discomfort about the allegations surrounding him and his family, adding that there seems to be an organized effort by someone or a certain group of people who tried to paint him as intentionally avoiding the issue. “I don’t know who they are though,” he said.



Han’s official reaction is long overdue. It should have come much earlier. His explanation is insufficient, though.

He still owes the public a more detailed explanation about the allegations as they remain unconvinced. If necessary, he should act on his words. Han’s reaction came weeks after allegations were raised about him and his family members.

Earlier this month, a YouTuber claimed that nearly 1,100 malicious posts were uploaded on the message board of the PPP’s official website under the names of seven people having the same names as the PPP leader and his family members, including his wife, daughter, mother and son-in-law. This indicates that each of them uploaded over 100 malicious posts about the presidential couple. Their posts are scathing enough to humiliate Yoon and his wife.

In a post uploaded on July 6, an author named Han Dong-hoon wrote, “Was there any insane first lady like the current one in the previous conservative government?” In a separate post on July 14, the same person went further. “Keon Hee (referring to the first lady) should be leashed and locked inside, so that she cannot come outside.” In a post uploaded on Oct.

19, another commenter using the same name as Han’s wife shared a newspaper column that criticized the first lady. The message board of the PPP’s website is members-only. People affiliated with the conservative party are only allowed to post there after logging in.

To protect their identities in accordance with freedom of expression, the ruling party blurs part of their names, revealing only their surnames. But earlier this month, there was a technical problem on the website and the authors’ full names were disclosed for hours. A YouTuber captured images of the message board with their full names on it and shared it on his YouTube channel, raising suspicions about the PPP leader and his family members’ alleged involvement in the malicious posts.

The allegations went viral as several other YouTubers and social media influencers shared it with their viewers and followers. Han’s initial reaction was problematic. He didn’t release any official statement or clarify his position.

Instead, his aide, Rep. Joo Jin-woo, threatened legal action against the YouTubers for transmitting groundless allegations about the PPP leader and his family. The prosecutor-turned-lawmaker claimed that Han denied the allegations but despite this, some YouTubers kept defaming him.

Rep. Joo’s reaction is questionable, too, if not flawed. He equated Han’s denial to a fact.

A certain argument becomes a fact only when it is proven. Han’s denial is not enough to make it truth. It will remain only as his narrative of the event.

Han’s belated official denial on Thursday will not make him innocent unless it is verified and confirmed through a transparent investigation. There is a lot he can do to clear himself and his family members of the allegations. He can direct the PPP to create a task force to investigate the case and make public their findings.

This is what a responsible politician should do. Otherwise, suspicions about him will not go away and this, in turn, will hurt his image as a politician..