[Comprehensive] 'Thick-faced and dark-hearted' Hong Joon-pyo criticizes party over 'One Team breakdown' repeatedly

Hong "Nomination recommendation old-fashioned politics is disgusting"
Criticizing the party daily through 'Youth's Dream', 'Facebook', etc.

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party (left), and Hong Joon-pyo, a member of the National Assembly (right). The photo was taken on October 25 at the KBS Daejeon Broadcasting Headquarters in Mannyeon-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, during the joint debate for the People Power Party's presidential primary candidates from the Daejeon, Sejong, Chungnam, and Chungbuk regions. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] On the 22nd, Hong Joon-pyo, a member of the People Power Party, expressed his frustration by likening his situation to 'Ilmodowon' (日暮途遠, "the sun sets and the road ahead is long"). Earlier, it was revealed that Hong discussed party nominations during a meeting with presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol, leading to criticism within the party accusing him of so-called 'nomination profiteering.' In response, Hong expressed strong displeasure, using terms such as 'old habits' and 'slander.'

In a post on the political platform 'Dream of Youth' that day, Hong shared a story about a classmate who recently passed away due to a chronic illness, writing, "Now, I have far fewer days ahead of me than the days I have lived. Death is said to come like a cool breeze on a midsummer night." He lamented, "The road ahead is long, and the sun is setting."

Hong recently received an offer from candidate Yoon to serve as a standing advisor to the election campaign headquarters, but the proposal fell through due to conflicts over strategic nominations in Seoul's Jongno district and Daegu's Jung-nam district. Hong claims that the so-called 'Yunhaekgwan' (core associates of candidate Yoon) are behind these conflicts.

In response to a user on a related forum who wrote, "Isn't it hard to operate while cutting out the cancerous lumps sticking to someone?" Hong replied, "Every party has such people." The day before, in response to a post titled "When I hear 'shameless,' Yoon Seok-yeol comes to mind first," Hong answered with "面厚心黑 (Mianhou Xinhei) - Chinese imperial studies."

This phrase means "thick-faced and black-hearted." Previously, Hong used the same four-character idiom to criticize Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung during the primary, targeting the 'Daejang-dong scandal' and the 'insulting his sister-in-law' controversy. Hong also responded to a post claiming "Representative Lee is slandering Hong" by saying, "He comes and goes."

Assemblyman Hong Joon-pyo [Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 19th, Hong reportedly requested strategic nominations for former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung in Jongno and former Daegu Suseong District Mayor Lee Jin-hoon in Daegu Jung-nam district during a private dinner meeting with candidate Yoon. Hong expressed discomfort over this. He stated that he recommended former Chairman Choi to instill public trust in government administration capabilities.

However, some within the party, including election campaign headquarters chief Kwon Young-se, criticized Hong for ultimately attempting 'nomination profiteering.' Given this situation, analyses suggest that the People Power Party's one-team formation has effectively collapsed.

On the 21st, Hong refuted criticism directed at him on Facebook, saying, "No matter how much the political arena has become chaotic, if two people meet to discuss internal party issues and that is exposed as a demand for nominations and slandered, how can we discuss state affairs in the future?"

He continued, "Turning a nomination recommendation made in a friendly atmosphere, believing it would help the presidential election, into a condition for joining the campaign headquarters and labeling election strategy discussions as old-fashioned tactics to avoid the essence is simply unacceptable. Why can't other election strategy discussions be made public? These are truly regrettable behaviors," he added.

Kwon Young-se, head of the People Power Party's election countermeasures headquarters, is attending the joint meeting of the election countermeasures headquarters and the floor leadership held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 20th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, Hong also expressed regret on Facebook, stating, "The agreement to participate in the central election organization was unilaterally broken (due to candidate Yoon's side)."

He pointed out, "The core issue was the request to supplement government administration capabilities and the demand for strict punishment of corruption involving the candidate's family. Since that cannot be criticized, it is truly despicable to use 'Yunhaekgwan' (core associates of candidate Yoon) to portray me as an old-fashioned politician by picking on nomination recommendations."

He added, "Anyone can make suggestions about nominations, and those should be handled through reasonable procedures. If that is used as a pretext to guard the candidate's mood, how will the election be conducted in the remaining period?"

Hong also said, "They gave me a nomination recommendation without prior consultation for my sake, but then misuse it as a means to criticize me. Those who are used are just as pitiful. Uncomfortable truths are not covered up by avoidance. The public and party members are not fools. I sincerely regret that the agreement to participate in the election campaign, reached in a good atmosphere, was unilaterally broken."

Regarding this, Representative Lee Jun-seok interpreted Hong's remarks about 'guaranteeing government administration capabilities' as "ultimately using his own people." In an interview with CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 20th, Lee said, "When Hong told candidate Yoon to take measures to guarantee government administration capabilities, he meant 'use people trusted by the public.' From the public's perspective, he probably recommended people who could be considered balanced and excellent appointments. Ultimately, it means to use his own people."