Lee Jun-seok Also on 'Hong Jun-pyo's Path'... Hong's Presence Rises Amid Turbulent Party Convention

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Hong Jun-pyo, the mayor of Daegu, is gaining prominence within the ruling party by continuously pointing out the problems of the 'Gwak Sang-do 5 Billion Club' ruling. Amid the party's mudslinging fight divided between pro-Yoon and anti-Yoon factions during the party convention phase, his presence is growing because he represents the 'Yoon sentiment (尹心)' well without overly revealing a pro-Yoon position. Former party leader Lee Jun-seok also hinted that he would take Hong as a 'standard,' mentioning Hong’s past presidential run and independent candidacy.

On the 15th, Mayor Hong criticized the prosecution through his social media (SNS), saying, "For what reason have the so-called '5 Billion Club,' involving former Supreme Court justices, former prosecutors general, high-ranking prosecutors, and special prosecutor Park Young-soo, been left uninvestigated until now, leading to the absurd acquittal of former lawmaker Gwak Sang-do?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He said, "Incompetent and powerless prosecutors gather and arrogantly pretend to be conducting investigations," adding, "Seeing a certain small opposition party constantly raising issues and claiming for a special prosecution on the 5 Billion Club, I found that opposition party somewhat likable for the first time." The 'certain small opposition party' refers to the Justice Party.

Mayor Hong has been raising critical voices daily regarding the first trial acquittal of the '5 Billion Club.' On the 13th, he pointed out on SNS, "I don't know whether it is a lenient investigation by prosecutors, incompetence, or a lenient ruling by judges; I have no idea what is what." On the 12th, he also criticized on SNS, "They say the 5 billion won was received by the son in his early 30s after working for about five years as severance pay, but would the father have given such an enormous amount to his son? At that time, could the economic community theory applied during Park Geun-hye’s (former president’s impeachment) era not be applied? Can the public accept investigations and trials that cannot resolve such basic common sense?"

Considering the lukewarm attitude toward the special prosecution related to the '5 Billion Club' within the ruling party, Mayor Hong’s stance stands out. Floor leader Joo Ho-young only said he would "watch the discussions," and Yoon faction member Yoo Sang-beom of the People Power Party expressed opposition to the special prosecution, saying, "There is a very high possibility that the verdict will change to guilty in the appeal trial. At least wait until the second trial."

Nevertheless, Mayor Hong is evaluated to be subtly supporting President Yoon Suk-yeol during the party convention phase. He directly told former lawmaker Na Kyung-won to "stop testing the waters," and criticized lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo on CBS radio, saying, "If those competing for the next leadership come in now, take over, and control the party, will it be a fair primary?" Regarding the controversy over President Yoon’s 'party affairs intervention,' he defended, "Has there ever been a party convention where the president did not tacitly intervene?"

Former leader Lee Jun-seok is actively using Mayor Hong’s political memes such as 'coal gas' and 'cockroach,' and declared that he will follow 'Hong Jun-pyo’s path' in next year’s nominations. On the same day on CBS radio, Lee said, "In the 2017 presidential election, Mayor Hong ran as a presidential candidate. Although he was suspended from party membership, they just lifted it. Hong is the standard for everything. When the party did not give him a nomination, he ran as an independent in Daegu and won in Suseong District." He implied that he would not hesitate to run as an independent if he does not receive a nomination.