Editorial: Democratic Party must clarify the forces behind Han Dong-hoon assassination plot

Amid rising political tensions, YouTuber Kim Eo-jun (center) sparked controversy at the National Assembly by alleging plans of assassination and terror during a potential martial law scenario, claims he later admitted were unverified and "almost fictional." /Yonhap News

YouTuber Kim Eo-jun testified as a witness at the National Assembly, claiming that during a potential martial law scenario, he received information about a plan to “assassinate” Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party.

Kim also stated he had been tipped off about a plot to kill several U.S. soldiers to provoke an American bombing of North Korea, as well as reports concerning biological and chemical terror attacks.

According to Kim, the source of these allegations came from “a friendly nation with an embassy in South Korea.” After making these shocking claims, Kim left the meeting without answering any questions from lawmakers.

The claim that President Yoon Suk-yeol’s side allegedly conspired to assassinate Han Dong-hoon and U.S. soldiers is a matter far more serious than any martial law scenario.

Even if Kim had indeed heard such statements, he should have conducted at least minimal verification before making them public. Speaking about such explosive allegations at the National Assembly requires even greater caution.

However, Kim himself admitted, “It’s an outrageous, almost fictional story,” and added, “I haven’t verified all the facts.” In other words, he brought up a wild and fictional-sounding claim at a public forum without confirming its credibility. No matter how chaotic the political landscape may be, there are boundaries that should not be crossed.

In response to Kim’s assertion, which he described as outrageous and more like fiction than reality, Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, reportedly remarked that it was entirely plausible for such a group to have made such plans, suggesting he found the allegations credible.

While Kim dismissed the plot to kill Han and U.S. soldiers as unbelievable and fictional even as he raised it in the National Assembly, Lee was said to have responded that such a scenario was possible.

It’s true that the once-unthinkable idea of martial law has become a real event, leading people to believe even the most absurd and fictional-sounding scenarios could actually happen.

However, the plans to assassinate Han Dong-hoon, kill U.S. soldiers, or carry out biological and chemical terror attacks are arguably more serious than martial law itself. Kim claimed that the tip came from a foreign embassy of an allied country. If that’s the case, shouldn’t he disclose which nation was involved? This is not something that can simply be left unverified.

[조선일보]

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