Hong Jun-pyo, who said "Dishwashing is for women," now targets female voters saying "I even cook now"

"Women Misunderstand Due to 'Trivial Words'"

In April 2017, during an interview with YTN, Hong Joon-pyo, then the Liberty Korea Party's presidential candidate, responded to a question about dishwashing by saying, "Dishwashing is the woman's role." Photo by YTN YouTube capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Hong Joon-pyo, a presidential candidate from the People Power Party who has drawn female voters' disapproval due to multiple past sexist remarks, has started efforts to win over the female electorate.

On the 23rd, Hong stated in a Facebook post, "Next week, I plan to comprehensively organize and announce pledges specifically for women to persuade the relatively underperforming female demographic."

Hong said, "The person I respect most in this world is my mother, and I have lived my life looking only at my wife," adding, "I have devoted myself to protecting the family community and working for the female half of the population, but I will win back the hearts of women who misunderstand me over a few trivial words."

People Power Party presidential candidate Hong Jun-pyo is holding a press conference at the Daegu City Party Headquarters on the 10th.
Photo by Yonhap News

Previously, Hong had been embroiled in controversies over remarks perceived as discriminatory against women. Ahead of the 2017 presidential election, in an interview, he claimed, "(Dishwashing) is ordained by heaven; men should not be made to do what women do. There are tasks for men and tasks for women," which drew criticism.

In response, Hong explained, "I said that to appear tough. In reality, when I go home, I do all the dishwashing myself," but Shim Sang-jung, then a Justice Party presidential candidate, sharply criticized him, saying, "You cannot say such things unless you see women as subordinates."

Additionally, during the 2011 Grand National Party leadership race, Hong told former lawmaker Na Kyung-won, "A candidate who looks in the mirror and puts on makeup is not acceptable." In 2009, when he was the party floor leader, he told then-National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee Chairperson and former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, "If you have nothing to do, go home and take care of your kids." An episode related to the so-called 'pig aphrodisiac' in his 2005 autobiography even sparked controversy over alleged rape plotting, and criticism of Hong remains strong.

For these reasons, Hong's support among women has been relatively low compared to men. According to a survey conducted by Gallup Korea from the 14th to 16th among 1,001 adults nationwide, Hong's support rate among men aged 18-29 and in their 30s was 47% and 50%, respectively?the highest among candidates?but among women of the same age groups, it was only 14% and 21%, less than half of the male support rates in their 20s and 30s.

Regarding criticisms of lacking gender sensitivity, Hong said in an interview with SBS on the 25th of last month, "I was scolded once during the last presidential election and have been doing housework since. Now that my children are all married and I live with my wife, I even know how to cook."