Four candidates for the People Power Party leadership participate in a party meeting at its headquarters in Seoul, Friday. From left are former PPP interim leader Han Dong-hoon, Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong and Rep. Na Kyung-won. Yonhap

First lady Kim Keon Hee's Telegram message to former ruling People Power Party (PPP) interim leader Han Dong-hoon has been emerging as a hot-button issue in the party leadership race, reigniting a political blame game among the four main candidates.

Kim reportedly sent a message to Han in January, when the latter was serving as the interim leader of the PPP leading the April general election campaign, saying she had the intention of making a public apology if allegations that she illegally accepted a luxury handbag as a gift in 2022 continue to weigh on the conservative party. However, Han ignored her message without responding.

The PPP secured only 108 seats in the 300-member National Assembly. Han subsequently resigned, taking responsibility for the electoral defeat.

Han explained that he thought it would be inappropriate to engage in private conversations with Kim when he was in public discourse with the presidential office asking Kim to apologize to the public.

He also elaborated on the message he received from Kim, saying, "I recall that Kim said she is in a 'difficult position' to apologize."

"Intentionally bringing up this matter at this point is a dangerous attempt to harm my political standing. Many people would consider it strange or even suspect state intervention in party affairs," Han wrote on Facebook, Sunday.

"I heard that some politicians, including those in the election management committee, are moving to demand my resignation because I asked for an apology publicly rather than through a private channel. There is also a discussion of disqualifying me as a candidate by taking this matter to the Ethics Committee," Han added.

Former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong criticized Han for neglecting the first lady's message, saying that Han's unilateral strategy led to the party's crushing defeat in the general elections. Won also requested Han to disclose relevant text messages as it is the only way to resolve the misunderstanding.

"The act of dragging the presidential office into the national convention to hide one's own mistakes is an act that splits the party and shakes up the presidential office. If such a person becomes a party leader, it's clear that the party-government relationship will be irreparable, and the party will be divided. We will struggle to keep control of the Democratic Party of Korea's impeachment calls," Won wrote on Facebook, also on Sunday.

Other PPP leadership hopefuls accused both Han and Won of political mudslinging.

Rep. Na Kyung-won, a five-term lawmaker, called Han an "irresponsible amateur" who squandered the opportunity to get an apology out of Kim while referring to Won as an "avatar" of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, another five-term lawmaker in the running for party leadership, slammed Han for raising suspicions about the presidential office's involvement in the national convention.

"One should not worsen the party-government relationship by claiming that the presidential office is interfering with the national convention. If (Han) clashes again with the presidential office ahead of the national convention, following his conflict during the general elections, not only him but also the party and the president will be doomed together," Rep. Yoon wrote on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the presidential office denied any attempts to intervene in the national convention.

"Especially during the national convention, we must be careful to ensure that each candidate does not draw the presidential office into the election. We will faithfully abide by the wishes of party members and the people following the national convention," a senior official at the presidential office said on condition of anonymity.

The PPP chairmanship will be decided at a national convention on July 23.