The election management committee of the ruling People Power Party issued a warning to two of its candidates, Han Dong-hoon and Won Hee-ryong, for engaging in personal attacks against each other during the race to select the party's next leader. The committee cited the breach of the party charter promoting fair competition and the escalation of mudslinging and slander between the two candidates. The warning was prompted by the intense exchange of allegations during a televised debate and the committee plans to issue further warnings and sanctions if tensions continue to grow. Han criticized the committee's decision, likening it to a mechanical attempt to balance the situation and labeled Won's accusations as false. Meanwhile, the party's floor leader, Choo Kyung-ho, expressed concerns over the excessive mudslinging and urged all candidates to refrain from engaging in such behavior. The rift between the pro-Yoon Suk Yeol faction and supporters of Han has widened, with rumors of Han ignoring text messages from the first lady ahead of the April general election, further deepening the divide within the conservative bloc. This rift marks the second apparent conflict between Yoon and Han and their respective supporters within the ruling party, following a previous disagreement over the handling of the first lady's luxury bag scandal and candidate nominations.