"Like losing reason, harsh words... Please show a cultured and dignified appearance"
Presidential pre-candidate Yoon Seok-yeol (left) and Congressman Hong Joon-pyo from the People Power Party [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, criticized Assemblyman Hong Joon-pyo, saying, "There is even talk that the habit of making offensive remarks is an incurable disease that never gets cured over time," and added, "Assemblyman Hong often talks about putting South Korea in a washing machine, but he should start by washing his own head and mouth."
Earlier on the 9th, after visiting Donghwasa Temple on Palgongsan Mountain in Daegu, Assemblyman Hong told reporters, targeting Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and candidate Yoon, "The main candidate of the ruling party should currently be under investigation as the main culprit of the Daejang-dong corruption, and the main candidate of the opposition party has become a criminal community that should be investigated along with his mother-in-law, wife, and himself and sent to prison."
Hong continued, "This is turning into a criminal presidential election. Is it right for criminals to compete against each other in a presidential election?" He added, "In my 26 years in politics, I have experienced truly shocking things. Even if someone like that becomes president, will the people follow?"
In response, Choi Ji-hyun, chief deputy spokesperson of Yoon Seok-yeol’s campaign, issued a statement the same day, saying, "Assemblyman Hong, who has always been criticized for lacking dignity, once again made offensive remarks as if he lost his reason," and added, "While we can understand Assemblyman Hong’s feelings after seeing the results of the first and second rounds of the People Power Party primary, that does not justify making such absurd offensive remarks."
Choi said, "Assemblyman Hong uttered low-level nonsense like 'Candidate Yoon and his family are a criminal community, and this presidential election is a contest among criminals,'" and criticized, "A few days ago, he drew criticism for saying about another presidential candidate from the same party, 'I can’t even beat him up,' and now he has caused another scandal."
He continued, "The so-called 'accusation instigation' is a petty political conspiracy frame by the Democratic Party to bring down candidate Yoon," and pointed out, "Regarding the National Intelligence Service chief’s tip-off instigation and the illegal and excessive search and seizure by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, Assemblyman Hong did not utter a single word befitting an opposition candidate and instead enthusiastically launched a petty political offensive against candidate Yoon, as if delighted by the ruling party’s frame. It was a flirtation and courtship directed at ruling party supporters."
Choi sarcastically remarked, "Even after earning the mocking nickname 'Jo Guk Su Hong' (Jo Guk Suho + Hong Joon-pyo), he has not learned his lesson," and added, "Assemblyman Hong, who spews offensive remarks, both real and fabricated, to flatter the ruling party’s supporters, looks truly pitiful in some ways."
Choi concluded, "The popular term 'kkambu,' which became a buzzword through 'Squid Game,' refers to comrades who share hardships and coexist. Candidate Yoon hopes that all candidates become kkambu for regime change, normalization, and re-advancement of South Korea," and urged, "I hope Assemblyman Hong shows a cultured and dignified side from now on so that people inside and outside the People Power Party will say, 'Hong Joon-pyo has changed a lot.'"
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