These days, inside the People Power Party, complaints are mounting that Jang Dong-hyeok visited the United States for eight nights and 10 days ahead of the local elections. Even Jang has not been able to give clear answers to basic questions such as why he went to the United States and whom he met. Former lawmaker Kim Woong even said on YouTube on the 21st that "why the wolf who escaped from Daejeon ran away has, along with Jang's U.S. trip, risen to the level of the two great mysteries."
◇ Couldn't meet "Trump's spiritual mentor," and only showed the back of a "U.S. State Department Deputy Minister"
Jang Dong-hyeok said at a press conference on the 20th after returning home that he "visited the United States for the local elections." He said, "The Lee Jae-myung administration keeps causing problems in diplomacy with the United States," and added, "In such a case, even the opposition should step up and show an effort to resolve the issue, and be judged by the public for that— I think that is one part of the local elections." It sounded like he sought to build a hotline with the White House and the Republican Party to lay the groundwork to sustain the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
During the trip, Jang appears to have met two U.S. senators and six House members. According to the disclosed schedule, starting on the 13th with a meeting with Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, he met House Korea Caucus co-chair Rep. Joe Wilson, Republican Rep. Tim Burchett, House Indo-Pacific Subcommittee Chair Rep. Young Kim, House Foreign Affairs Committee Foreign Military Sales Task Force Director General Rep. Ryan Zinke, Republican Rep. Adrian Smith, Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty, and Rep. Randy Fine. A foreign and security expert said, "Looking at the people Jang met in the United States, it's questionable whether they are suitable for the purpose of the trip he stated."
Jang also met an unnamed figure at the White House National Security Council (NSC) and said he met one U.S. State Department Deputy Minister. In particular, on the morning of the 17th, while going through procedures at the airport to return home, Jang received a contact from the State Department and delayed his return. The person he met that way turned out to be a Deputy Minister whose back of the head was the only thing shown in photos.
A former diplomat said, "It is hard to say that meeting a U.S. State Department Deputy Minister allowed for discussion of core issues in South Korea-U.S. diplomacy." The State Department leadership consists of the Minister, two Vice Ministers, and six Vice Ministers. Deputy Ministers work under each Vice Minister handling practical affairs; in Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that is equivalent to a Director General. There are about 30 Deputy Ministers at the State Department. The Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, who handles Korea, is an important post, but it is not even confirmed whether the Deputy Minister Jang met was the one for East Asia and the Pacific.
Meanwhile, there is talk that the person Jang had sought to meet was Pastor Paula White, known as former President Trump's spiritual mentor. Pastor Paula White is also said to have close ties with Han Hak-ja, president of the Unification Church. Han is on trial over allegations of a "religion-state collusion state affairs scandal" linking the Yoon Suk-yeol administration to the Unification Church. She was originally standing trial in detention, but late last month she received a suspension of detention due to deteriorating health.
A People Power Party official said, "Perhaps the aim was to convey President Han Hak-ja's difficulties to Pastor Paula White and thereby have former President Trump mention the Lee Jae-myung administration's suppression of religion," adding, "This is the only way I can make sense of the claim that he visited the U.S. for the local elections." But even that lost meaning as the meeting with Pastor Paula White itself fell through.
Another official said, "Jang initially planned the U.S. trip for two nights and four days, then extended it to five nights and seven days, and in the end to eight nights and 10 days," adding, "Isn't it that, failing to meet anyone plausible, he extended his stay in the United States to meet at least one person?"
◇ Shaky leadership… "The party leader is a burden on local election candidates" "Untie the knot yourself"
Jang Dong-hyeok is being assessed as having even shakier leadership in the wake of the U.S. trip. On the 22nd, Gangwon Gov. Kim Jin-tae, sitting across from Jang, said, "You probably haven't even recovered from jet lag, but thank you for visiting Gangwon." Some saw it as an indirect expression of dissatisfaction with Jang's eight nights and 10 days in the United States. Kim went on, "From what I've seen in the field, there are many people saying, 'I used to be with the red party, but this time, thinking of the central party makes my blood boil, so I won't vote,'" and added, "There are candidates who ask me to speak more strongly when I meet you, Representative." He also said, "It's time to untie the knot yourself."
Earlier, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also appeared on radio on the 21st and said, "This is a timing when candidates are on pins and needles day by day, but there has been no explanation of whom (Jang met in the United States), what was discussed, and how that would help the local elections." He added, "(Jang) is becoming a burden to the candidates."
Not only the pro-Han faction and the younger reformists, who had kept their distance from Jang from the start, but even the party's Supreme Council members and senior lawmakers are expressing doubts about this U.S. trip. A four-term lawmaker told ChosunBiz by phone, "I have concluded that it will be difficult under Jang's leadership," adding, "It seems a transition to an emergency leadership committee after the local elections will begin to be discussed in earnest."