Hong Jun-pyo criticizes Yoon for recruiting Ha Tae-kyung, saying "Only outdated politicians are being brought in"

Yoon Seok-yeol (right), former Prosecutor General and presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is holding a press conference on the morning of the 27th at the National Assembly Communication Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, announcing the recruitment of Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, as a co-chief election campaign committee chairman. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol has been recruiting senior lawmakers one after another, including Rep. Ha Tae-kyung, prompting Rep. Hong Joon-pyo to raise his voice, saying, "He is only attracting politicians whose time has passed."

On the 27th, Rep. Hong posted on his social media (SNS), "I am receiving declarations of support from all walks of life nationwide every day, but the opposing candidate is only attracting politicians whose time has passed," adding, "Behind me are party members and the people, while the opposing candidate's side is full of entrenched politicians."

He continued, "Let's see who wins. There is no party sentiment that goes against public opinion. That is the path to the party's ruin," he emphasized.

Earlier, Rep. Ha Tae-kyung, a three-term lawmaker who ran in the People Power Party presidential primary, joined former Prosecutor General Yoon's presidential campaign as a co-chairman of the campaign committee on the 27th.

Rep. Ha stated, "Yoon Seok-yeol is the only candidate who can do both regime change and political innovation well," adding, "He is the only candidate who can protect the Republic of Korea from the malignant populist storm of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate. Having observed Candidate Yoon closely, he is learning and growing faster than anyone else."

In the political circles, Rep. Ha's joining Yoon's campaign?after having played the role of 'Hong Joon-pyo's sniper' in the first and second preliminary rounds and being classified as part of the 'Yoo Seung-min faction'?is seen as a move to "capture Rep. Hong."

A source from Yoon's campaign said, "Senior members of the campaign worked hard to recruit Rep. Ha, who has a high understanding of people in their 20s and 30s," adding, "Former Prosecutor General Yoon also met with Rep. Ha separately earlier."