Democrats’ new leader asks Lee not to appoint Linton to lead Korean Red Cross

John Linton, also known by his Korean name, Ihn Yo-han, speaks to reporters at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 10, 2025. (Yonhap)

The new leader of the ruling Democratic Party has asked President Lee Jae Myung not to appoint John Linton to lead the Korean Red Cross, according to the party’s spokesperson. 

Linton, a naturalized Korean citizen born of American missionaries, is also known by the Korean name Ihn Yo-han and formerly served as a lawmaker with the top opposition People Power Party. 

Democratic Party spokesperson Park Sung-joon told reporters on Wednesday that newly elected party leader Kim Min-seok had spoken privately to the president following a banquet between the party’s leadership and the president on Tuesday. 

“During that conversation, he told President Lee that based on opinions he’d gathered from within the party and beyond, it would be preferable not to appoint [Linton] as chairman of the Korean Red Cross,” Park said. 

A public service ethics commission for former lawmakers had recently cleared Linton for appointment as chairman of the Korean Red Cross, leaving only the president’s approval for the appointment to be finalized.

The Korean Red Cross’s central committee had elected Linton as chairman by a vote in June. The move has been opposed by some Democrats and their supporters due to Linton’s past actions and remarks, including his boycott of a vote to impeach former President Yoon Suk-yeol following the insurrection in December 2024 and his advocacy for privatizing Korea’s healthcare system.