Yoon "Recommendation Does Not Guarantee Nomination"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] The aftermath of the dinner meeting between Rep. Hong Joon-pyo and presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol, who both participated in the People Power Party's presidential primary, is intensifying. Rep. Hong revealed that he proposed to Candidate Yoon measures to guarantee the ability to govern the country and a public declaration to strictly punish corruption involving the candidate’s in-laws, sparking various interpretations.
According to political circles on the 20th, regarding the guarantee of governance capability, interpretations range from the meaning that the ‘Yoon Seok-yeol government’ should present its vision after the presidential election to the idea that Rep. Hong conveyed his demands concerning personnel appointments. It is reported that Rep. Hong shared a grand vision for governance philosophy, similar to the ‘G7 advanced country era’ he proposed during the presidential primary.
In this context, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, appeared on CBS Radio that day and said, "From Rep. Hong’s perspective, guaranteeing governance capability means using people trusted by the public, but what has come out in this situation is a request to use his own people," adding, "I expect he advised the candidate to use personnel more broadly."
Later, controversy grew as it became known that Rep. Hong mentioned some constituencies for the National Assembly by-elections held alongside the presidential election. It was reported that Rep. Hong suggested strategically nominating former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung for Jongno and former Suseong District Mayor Lee Jin-hoon for Daegu Jung-Nam District. Immediately, Kwon Young-se, head of the election campaign headquarters, expressed discomfort at a morning meeting, saying, "If you are a party leader-level figure, you should act appropriately as a leader during this critical presidential election phase. If you show old-fashioned behavior, you will not only lose qualifications as a leader but also as a party member." The People Power Party plans to form a nomination management committee next week to officially proceed with the nomination process, but there is concern that attempts to pressure personnel appointments beforehand undermine fairness. Regarding this, Lee Yang-soo, senior spokesperson for the campaign headquarters, avoided a direct answer at a briefing that day, saying, "Nomination does not automatically follow recommendation; it will be made based on reasonable decision-making with the public."
Opinions also diverged on the public declaration related to family corruption. A People Power Party campaign official said, "Candidate Yoon has previously stated that even family members are not exceptions before the law, so this is not a particularly difficult proposal." On the other hand, Lee Jun-seok said on the radio, "I do not think the declaration will be made," adding, "From the candidate’s perspective, it is somewhat unpleasant and could be taken emotionally." Rep. Hong’s final decision on joining the campaign headquarters is expected around the 24th.
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