Hong Joon-pyo: "Yoon Seok-yeol's Political Conspiracy Won't Be Overlooked... Yoon Seok-yeol Must Officially Apologize"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Naju Seok and Park Juni] Hong Joon-pyo, a presidential candidate from the People Power Party, warned his competitor, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, on the 15th, saying, "I will not leave you alone."

After visiting the funeral hall of Pastor Cho Yong-gi, founder of Yoido Full Gospel Church, and meeting with reporters, Hong said, "Some people are engaging in futile political maneuvers, but they are not even my opponents and are not worthy. How can they act so immaturely?" He warned, "If they keep doing that, I will not leave it alone."

He pointed out, "Political manipulation is creating lies without facts to confuse the public and party members. The moment the facts are revealed, it becomes a crime. Why do people who don't even know the basics gather and try to drag what they call negativity into our party's internal struggles?" Hong added, "The person pointed out by that camp (Yoon’s side) probably gave an interview to clarify the allegations. If they continue to talk nonsense, I will not leave it alone."

The political manipulation Hong referred to involves allegations that a member of Hong’s campaign was present at a meeting between whistleblower Jo, related to the ‘accusation inducement suspicion,’ and Park Ji-won, Director of the National Intelligence Service.

Regarding this, Hong’s campaign issued a separate statement saying, "Multiple media outlets have confirmed that the source of the rumors is Yoon’s campaign," and explained, "According to receipts and CCTV footage publicly disclosed by a relevant member of Hong’s campaign today, the person was in Yeouido at the time of the ‘problematic meal’ between Jo and Director Park, and the movements were transparently revealed."

Hong’s campaign stated, "We have consistently responded with no reaction to the absurd rumors," and criticized, "Not only did they turn the suspicion of political interference during the Prosecutor General’s tenure into a party-wide internal struggle, but now, amid the first primary opinion poll, they are attempting to deflect blame onto a rival candidate’s campaign with lies and manipulation."

They continued, "We demand an official apology from former Prosecutor General Yoon," and warned, "The instigators of the rumors must be completely rooted out and immediately expelled from the campaign. Hong’s campaign will no longer tolerate the false political manipulation against the campaign."