Kim Eo-jun and Han Dong-hoon clash over Roh Moo-hyun money suspicions
In short
Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun criticised independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon on 5 October for repeatedly raising suspicions that former President Roh Moo-hyun and his family took money and valuables, asking how he dared to bring up Roh. Han replied on Facebook that Kim should talk with facts, calling his remark arrogant gaslighting with no facts behind it. Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Kun-young called Han's move a ploy and groundwork for reviving the prosecution, and Han also clashed with Roh's son-in-law, Democratic Party lawmaker Gwak Sang-eon, who demanded he show the facts.
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On 5 October broadcaster Kim Eo-jun, on his YouTube show “김어준의 겸손은힘들다 뉴스공장”, criticised independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon for repeatedly raising suspicions that former President Roh Moo-hyun and his family took money and valuables, according to Maeil Business. Kim asked how Han dared to bring up Roh. Han replied on Facebook that Kim should “팩트로 얘기하라” (talk with facts), saying Kim's remark contained none and calling it “팩트 없는 거만한 가스라이팅”, Maeil Business reported. [ 1 , 4 ]
Maeil Business reported Kim's argument that Han had picked Roh as a keyword in the way the progressive camp treats former President Park Chung-hee as a starting point for criticism, and that conservatives had not touched Roh's death because it was clear the prosecution hounded him. Kim said Han had chosen the target that would provoke the strongest reaction so that he could grow politically by making the democratic camp attack him. Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Kun-young, speaking on a broadcast the same day, called the move a “노림수” and “검찰 부활의 기초 공사”, saying Roh had been an important factor in starting prosecution reform and predicting repeated attempts to damage his name. [ 4 ]
Han's Facebook response, as reported by Maeil Business, said people who insulted Roh in his lifetime were now sanctifying him to use him, building a false myth that Roh was the victim of a fabricated investigation and eventually maximising public suffering by abolishing the prosecution system. Han asked whether the Roh prosecution was fabricated, and whether Roh or his family received Piaget watches worth 300 million won and a New Jersey house from sponsor Park Yeon-cha. Korea Economic Daily separately reported that Han clashed directly with Gwak Sang-eon, a Democratic Party lawmaker and Roh's son-in-law, after Gwak demanded that he show the facts. [ 2 , 4 ]
Kukmin Ilbo and Newsis both headlined the clash between the two men. Newsis's readable text consisted of photo captions noting that Kim Eo-jun appeared as a witness at a National Assembly science and technology committee meeting on 13 December 2024 and that Han attended a plenary session on 1 October 2026. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The exchange puts a former president's legacy and the question of whether past prosecution investigations were legitimate at the centre of a public argument between an independent lawmaker, a broadcaster and the ruling party. Yoon Kun-young's remark that it is groundwork for reviving the prosecution, as reported by Maeil Business, ties the dispute to the ongoing political conflict over prosecutorial reform. The documents give no indication of consequences beyond the political sphere.
Key facts
- Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon has repeatedly raised suspicions that former President Roh Moo-hyun and his family took money and valuables, describing the suspicions as facts. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun, on his YouTube show on 5 October, criticised Han for bringing up Roh, asking how he dared to mention him. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Han responded on Facebook that Kim should argue with facts and called his remark “팩트 없는 거만한 가스라이팅” (arrogant gaslighting with no facts). [ 1 , 4 ]
- Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Kun-young called Han's move a “노림수” (a calculated ploy) and “검찰 부활의 기초 공사” (groundwork for reviving the prosecution). [ 4 ]
- Han asked whether Roh or his family received Piaget watches worth 300 million won and a New Jersey house from sponsor Park Yeon-cha. [ 4 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reported Han also clashed with Gwak Sang-eon, a Democratic Party lawmaker and Roh's son-in-law, who demanded he show the facts. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether Roh Moo-hyun or his family received 300 million won in Piaget watches and a New Jersey house from sponsor Park Yeon-cha. Han raised this as a question and the documents do not establish the facts of the allegation; no outlet in the documents verified or denied them.
- The exact date and timing of Han Dong-hoon's Facebook response to Kim Eo-jun. Maeil Business reports Kim's remarks and Han's Facebook reply on 5 October but gives no time for the post.
- What Newsis and Kukmin Ilbo reported in detail. Newsis's readable text consists only of photo captions and Kukmin Ilbo provided only a headline with no summary or article, so their full coverage cannot be checked.
- When the remarks Han was criticised for were first made. Yoon Kun-young refers to 2 October as the day Han made the move, but the documents do not describe an event on that date in detail.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo publishes a report headlined with the exchange between Kim Eo-jun and Han Dong-hoon. [ 1 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reports Han Dong-hoon's confrontation with Gwak Sang-eon and the wider dispute over his references to Roh Moo-hyun. [ 2 ]
- Newsis publishes a report headlined with the two men's remarks. [ 3 ]
- Maeil Business publishes Kim Eo-jun's on-air criticism of Han and Han's Facebook response. [ 4 ]