People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo holds a press conference at the National Assembly on the 12th to oppose the reinstatement of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon into the People Power Party. [Yonhap News] 

On the 12th, People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo stated to independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, with whom he has been engaged in a dispute over testimony regarding the December 3rd martial law, "I ask that you do not even loiter near our party. I firmly oppose your reinstatement."

During a press conference at the National Assembly that day, Rep. Ahn said, "It was by no means Rep. Han alone who stopped the martial law, so why should the history of that day be reduced to a heroic narrative of Han Dong-hoon alone?"

Previously, on the 8th, Rep. Ahn appeared as a witness in the trial of Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho (the People Power Party floor leader at the time of the martial law) regarding charges of obstructing the vote to lift the emergency martial law, and testified, "I understand that then-party leader Han Dong-hoon was the first person to notify People Power Party lawmakers to gather at the party headquarters rather than the National Assembly." Rep. Han strongly refuted this, calling it "false propaganda."

In response, Rep. Ahn criticized Rep. Han and his pro-Han faction members, stating, "They attacked, ridiculed, and slandered a senior member of their own party for testifying to the facts in court. Treating a colleague within the party as an enemy and engaging in a war of public opinion is an act of defamation against an individual and clearly constitutes anti-party behavior."

He further emphasized, "If this is how he acts while outside the party, it is clear as day what will happen if he is reinstated," adding, "The entire party will fall into factional strife and a self-destructive civil war, leading to a catastrophic situation where winning the general election will be out of the question."

Regarding reports that the party's Ethics Committee is reviewing disciplinary motions against some pro-Han faction members who directly or indirectly aided the campaign of independent candidate Rep. Han, he stated, "Some resolution is necessary regarding the issue of our party's lawmakers supporting an independent candidate when our party already has an officially nominated candidate."

This is the first time since the local elections that a public argument opposing Rep. Han's reinstatement has been made within the People Power Party.

While Rep. Han did not issue a separate statement regarding Rep. Ahn's press conference that day, a fierce war of words took place outside the chamber between the party leadership faction and the pro-Han (pro-Han Dong-hoon) faction.

Joo Hyun-chul, a foreign media spokesperson appointed by Representative Jang Dong-hyuk, wrote on Facebook, "Ahn Cheol-soo is throwing a great gamble to help Representative Jang save the party and the country from Han Dong-hoon’s despicable political maneuvering."

Supreme Council member Cho Kwang-han, classified as part of the party leadership faction, posted Rep. Ahn's press conference statement on social media to express his support.

On the other hand, former spokesperson Park Sang-soo, who is close to Rep. Han, poked at him via Facebook, asking, "Rep. Ahn, did you hold today's press conference because foreign media spokesperson Joo Hyun-chul told you to?"

Former lawmaker Shin Ji-ho of the pro-Han faction mentioned that Rep. Ahn had to correct some of his answers during the Q&A session with reporters, directly attacking him by saying, "Is a 'truth battle' even possible for someone with the memory of having to correct himself only after help from his aides, after talking at length about how the expulsion of Han Dong-hoon was based on a court decision?"