Yoon advises ruling party chief to embrace diverse people

President Yoon Suk Yeol advised new ruling party chief Han Dong-hoon to embrace diverse people when they held closed-door talks at the presidential office this week, a presidential official said Wednesday.

Yoon and People Power Party chief Han talked for 1 1/12 hours Tuesday, the first time they met separately following Han’s election during a national convention last week. Yoon’s chief of staff Chung Jin-suk was the only other person in attendance.

“In politics, it’s important to ultimately make people your people,” Yoon told Han, according to the presidential official who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It’s important to widely embrace diverse people and make them your people.”

Yoon also advised Han to strengthen the organization of the party, saying he wishes him success in leading the party smoothly. Han responded that he will “do well without causing concern,” the official said.

Han had been considered one of Yoon’s closest confidants from their time as prosecutors and served as Yoon’s first justice minister, with critics even calling him Yoon’s “avatar.”

Their relationship soured after Han took the helm of the ruling party in the run-up to the April general elections as interim leader, due mostly to differences over how to handle first lady Kim Keon Hee’s acceptance of a luxury handbag and other sensitive issues.

Yoon proposed having dinner together at his residence once the formation of the new PPP leadership is completed, the official said.