A public feud erupted between former South Korean prosecutor general Han Dong-hoon and former Justice Minister Cho Kuk on March 14, 2026, playing out on social media. The exchange underscores the ongoing political tensions within South Korea as the country navigates complex power dynamics.
The dispute began after Han, who was ousted from the People Power Party, gave an interview with a Japanese media outlet, stating, “It wasn’t President Yoon Suk-yeol who brought me here, but the Republic of Korea.” Cho, the leader of the Innovation Party, responded on Facebook, criticizing Han’s statement as “the self-indulgent remark of someone who was a political prosecutor during Yoon Seok-yeol’s time as prosecutor general and a crown prince during the Yoon administration.”
Cho further asserted that neither his position as Minister of Justice nor Han’s role as the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party were the result of public election, but rather appointments made by Yoon. He characterized the relationship between Yoon and Han as that of a “oyabun and kobun”—a boss and follower—relationship. Cho also referenced Han’s past support for impeaching Yoon, stating, “Someone who only agreed to impeachment after realizing Yoon was trying to kill him is now trying to deceive the public with a three-inch tongue.”
Han countered Cho’s claims on Facebook, questioning Cho’s continued appeals to the Democratic Party. “You’re begging the Democratic Party to send you to Gunsan instead of Busan, do you really think they’ll send you to Gunsan if you flatter Lee Jae-myung?” Han asked, referring to the current president.
Regarding a previous inquiry from Cho about his reasons for requesting the arrest of President Lee Jae-myung, Han maintained the validity of his earlier statements as Minister of Justice. “My statements regarding the criminal content and the need for arrest were correct at the time,” Han wrote. He added that the current administration is “unable to undergo a fair trial and is attempting to intimidate the Supreme Court and illegally cancel the prosecution.”
