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Former PPP leader 'devasted' by testimony claiming Yoon wanted to 'shoot him dead'

Published: 04 Nov. 2025, 08:59

Han Dong-hoon, former head of the People Power Party, on May 29 [NEWS1]

Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon said he felt “devastated and sorrowful” regarding former President Yoon Suk Yeol's alleged order to "shoot him dead."

“As ruling party leader, I was privately asking President Yoon Suk Yeol to resolve the medical crisis, crack down on unofficial influences surrounding [then] first lady Kim Keon Hee, and appoint a special inspector to reflect public sentiment toward her around the time of Oct. 1 [in 2024]," Han wrote on his Facebook account on Monday evening.

Han cited a news article of courtroom testimony from Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, who was the head of the Army Special Warfare Command during the martial law on Dec. 3 last year.

Kwak appeared as a witness at former President Yoon’s trial held at the Seoul Central District Court earlier on Monday. He testified that during a dinner at the presidential residence following the Armed Forces Day ceremony on Oct. 1 last year, Yoon mentioned several politicians, including Han, and said, “Bring them before me. I’ll shoot them dead.”

In response, Yoon’s legal team denied the claim, saying, “Kwak’s remarks about Han are completely untrue,” adding that his statements “have been inconsistent and frequently changed, raising serious doubts about their credibility.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]