People Power Party, Kim Jong-in Criticizes "Ahn is Arrogant" Remark... "Please Endure"

Hong Moon-pyo, member of the People Power Party (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Geum Bo-ryeong] Senior members of the People Power Party raised their voices in criticism over former emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in's controversial remark calling Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, "arrogant."

On the 12th, Hong Moon-pyo, a senior lawmaker of the People Power Party, issued a statement saying, "Please endure it now," and added, "We will do well based on self-reliance." In an interview with a media outlet the previous day, former emergency committee chairman Kim criticized Ahn’s description of the April 7 by-elections as a "victory for the opposition" as "arrogant talk."

Hong said, "Please have patience and endure, former emergency committee chairman Kim! We will serve you well going forward," and continued, "At a time when we should join hands to exert great strength against the Moon Jae-in administration’s tyranny, how can you say things like 'Some are acceptable! Some are not! Those who lack qualifications, those who are not up to par, those who need to be met, those who are ill-mannered' and say everything you want?"

He added, "I have held back so far to avoid influencing the April 7 by-elections, but if I don’t say this, and you keep meddling in everything... Whose party is this? It is a party of 3 million members. We will do well," emphasizing his point.

On the same day, Jang Je-won, another lawmaker from the same party, wrote on Facebook, "The former emergency committee chairman is spewing words we should be most wary of after the election," and said, "During his tenure, he told us not to shake the party, but as soon as he left, he is shaking the party."

Jang also criticized, "Suddenly spitting venomous remarks like a 'throwing away the cooking pot after the fish is caught' approach against Ahn, he appears to be so self-absorbed that he cannot control himself," and pointed out, "Still, instead of thanking those who rolled up their sleeves and helped us, returning the insult by calling him 'arrogant'?isn’t that even more arrogant?"