Yoon "Throwing Bombs", "Do You Want a Regime Change?"
Lee "Just a Political Opinion"
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] As the People Power Party approaches the presidential candidate selection in about 20 days, the intensity of remarks among candidates is increasing. Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol criticized fellow party candidates, saying, "If we don't change our mindset first, it is right that our party disappears." In response, People Power Party lawmaker Hong Jun-pyo called it "naughty bad manners," while former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min labeled it "a lapdog of the Moon Jae-in administration."
On the 14th, Hong referenced Yoon's remarks on Facebook, directly hitting back by saying, "He is shameless and arrogantly insolent." The day before, Yoon had strongly criticized Hong's "Jeju open casino pledge" at the appointment ceremony of the Jeju campaign headquarters held by the People Power Party Jeju Provincial Party, saying, "Irresponsible promises like this, which only construction businessmen would like, are being made by people who want to be president from our party, throwing bombs everywhere."
Hong criticized, "He twice made a meteoric rise by siding with President Moon and becoming the vanguard of conservative collapse, defended his mother-in-law's and wife's corruption using the prosecution, and after resigning, when the prosecution he served began to investigate family and his own corruption in earnest, he distorted it as 'political investigation.'"
He continued, "Claiming to be president just four months after entering politics looks immature and absurd," adding, "I have cautiously treated him as a junior prosecutor until now, but I will conduct a harsh verification at the next debate." He also said, "Without fixing those naughty bad manners, it will be difficult to continue in politics."
Former lawmaker Yoo also responded on Facebook the same day, saying, "Thanks to acting as a lapdog for the Moon administration, he made a meteoric rise and now sees nothing." He added, "After 22 years in politics, whether in the opposition or ruling party, I have been thoroughly scrutinized without a single speck of dust found. What weaknesses does Yoo Seung-min have to talk about?" and said, "Mind your own weaknesses, and if you're scared, go watch the 'Cheongong Master Jeongbeop video'."
The day before, Yoon criticized Yoo's remark, "If the suspicions are true, wouldn't the relationship between 'Lee Jae-myung and Yoo Dong-gyu' be the same as that between 'former Prosecutor General Yoon and senior officials of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office'?" saying, "Is this something an opposition presidential candidate should say? Can such a person bring about regime change?"
Yoo then asked, "The mother-in-law, who claimed she did not receive even a 10-won coin, was imprisoned for embezzling public funds. What about the stock manipulation suspicions involving his wife and mother-in-law, the allegations of him orchestrating a complaint, the falsehoods in the Yoon Woo-jin case, and the suspicion that Kim Man-bae of Hwacheon Daeyu bought his father's house?" He also criticized, "Take care of your own and your parents' and mother-in-law's cases first, stop making one outrageous remark a day, and study policy a bit. Just because you have some support, do you think politics is that trivial and the party is beneath your feet?"
In response to the candidates' remarks, Yoon's campaign issued a statement that day saying, "Former Prosecutor General Yoon did not show any special reaction," and added, "The National Campaign believes that the people and party members who earnestly desire regime change will make a wise judgment."
Meanwhile, People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok viewed Yoon's remarks as merely a 'political opinion.' On the same day, on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' Lee said, "It should be accepted as one of the political views," adding, "Disliking the party's current state and wanting to reform the party is also something a presidential candidate can say." However, he added, "From Yoon's standpoint, his recent appearances in debates and such could be perceived negatively by the public."
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