Han Dong-hoon Hit by His Own Boomerang After Leaking Internal Prosecution Documents
People Power Party media spokesperson Park Min-young criticized independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon on Facebook on Sept. 6 over his ongoing release of phone recordings related to the suspicions surrounding Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, calling it "the sorry spectacle of being hit by his own boomerang after leaking internal prosecution documents." Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo joined the criticism, calling the spokesperson "a really smart friend."
Han Dong-hoon, a former prosecutor who went on to serve as justice minister, has in recent days released a string of phone recordings tied to suspicions that Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won made an improper solicitation to get plans for a clinical trial of a new COVID-19 drug approved. The Democratic Party has gone on the counteroffensive, challenging how Han obtained the recordings and rebutting their contents, and his allegations are now coming back at him in the form of suspicions that he leaked internal prosecution documents — the so-called "boomerang" (when one's own actions end up turning back on oneself).
Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo also voiced agreement with the post by People Power Party media spokesperson Park Min-young. On Sept. 8, after a netizen uploaded a compilation of the spokesperson's post to the bulletin board of "Youth's Dream," the political platform the former mayor created, Hong left a comment saying, "Park Min-young is a really smart friend." Earlier, on Sept. 4, the former mayor had branded Han Dong-hoon "a traitor to conservatism who betrayed the benefactor who had looked after him for 20 years, fell in line with the Lee Jae-myung regime and handed over the government," and on Aug. 22 he had called him "Chosun Jeil Gum."
People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo also took aim at Han Dong-hoon on Facebook on Sept. 8, writing: "Controversy keeps swirling over the lobbying, improper solicitation and 'oppa' scandal involving Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won. But with suspicions of leaked prosecution investigation records now added to the mix, the left-wing camp — torn apart by Yong Hye-in — is regrouping and talking big again." Turning to the nominee's confirmation hearing, he said, "All it would take is summoning the investigating prosecutors and those in charge to verify whether the phone forensic transcripts, indictment plans and other prosecution records are documents actually authored by the prosecution, or how they came to be made public by a former-prosecutor lawmaker." He added, "In particular, suspicions that the prosecution had planned a prison sentence but then switched course to deferring indictment could be resolved by checking the truth directly with the prosecutors in charge."
