Intense Criticism Continues for 3 Weeks
Rapid Rise of Presidential Candidate Sparks Major Korean Checks
"Hong Likely Reminded of Painful Memories Since Impeachment"
"Are we supposed to be occupied once again by the kid who tormented us so badly, trusting Moon Jae-in?" (May 22)
"Seeing some factions within the party still cozying up to the kid who ruined the general election, I saw no hope for the party." (May 21)
"Are you saying you want to do politics again under the kid who became Moon Jae-in's hunting dog and drove us to hell without any respect?" (May 16)
The sharp messages vomited by Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, ultimately target Han Dong-hoon, former Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party. Mayor Hong has been unleashing remarks aimed at former Chairman Han over the course of three weeks.
Hong Joon-pyo, a presidential primary candidate of the People Power Party, is announcing his pledge for a diplomatic transformation at his election campaign office located in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 27th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
After eyewitness reports surfaced on May 11 that former Chairman Han was seen at a library in Seoul, Mayor Hong reacted even more sensitively. On May 16, Mayor Hong posted on his Facebook, "I cannot forget the conservative media that showed their true colors during the ruined party's reckless impeachment presidential election, nor the various insults and humiliations we endured at campaign sites," adding, "Is there a future for a party that expects the kid who ruined the general election again without any senior figures willing to take on the party leadership?" He criticized further. On May 21, he escalated his criticism, saying, "There was chaos for two years due to prosecutorial politics, but do you expect to survive again by relying on the prosecution?" and "The party that should have disappeared during Park Geun-hye's impeachment was revived, yet it still flounders without a clear mind. If you have no confidence anymore, wouldn't it be better to dissolve the party and start over?"
In political circles, the prevailing view is that Mayor Hong's reactions are aimed at checking former Chairman Han, who has emerged as a presidential candidate. According to a May 2nd week survey conducted by Gallup Korea from May 7 to 9 among 1,000 adults nationwide aged 18 and over, in an open-ended question about preferred future political leaders, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, received 23%, while former Chairman Han received 17%. Compared to the previous survey in the third week of April, Lee's support dropped by 1 percentage point, while Han's rose by 2 percentage points. In the same survey, Mayor Hong and Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform New Party, each received 3%, showing lower support than Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party (7%). This survey was conducted via telephone interviews using virtual mobile numbers provided by the three major telecommunications companies, with a response rate of 11.2%, a confidence level of 95%, and a sampling error of ±3.1 percentage points. Detailed information can be found on the websites of Gallup Korea and the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission.
Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon analyzed, "If former Chairman Han comes out in the party convention and completely takes control of the party, how disadvantageous would that be during the presidential candidate primary?" adding, "They want to check him as much as possible to prevent him from running for now."
Handonghun, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and General Election Countermeasures Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is appealing for support for candidates Na Kyung-won and Jang Jin-young in front of Chung-Ang University Hospital in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the 9th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
The party's core supporters appear to have shifted their support from President Yoon Seok-youl to former Chairman Han. Former Chairman Han ranked first in suitability for the next People Power Party leader. According to a poll by Ace Research conducted from May 8 to 9 among 1,000 men and women aged 18 and over nationwide, within the People Power Party supporters, former Chairman Han received an overwhelming 48%. Following him were former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong with 13%, newly elected Na Kyung-won from Dongjak-eul with 11%, former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min with 9%, and lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo with 6%. This survey was conducted via automated response system (ARS) using randomly extracted virtual mobile phone numbers (100%). The sampling error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, with a response rate of 1.5%. For more details, refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.
Since even the party's support base has turned away, Mayor Hong's remarks aimed at checking former Chairman Han are expected to have a negative impact on himself as well. Particularly controversial is his referring to former Chairman Han as a political novice and calling him "kid," a shortened form of "child," seemingly to flaunt his own political career. Um Kyung-young, head of the Era Spirit Research Institute, criticized, "Mayor Hong's criticism of former Chairman Han is likely to backfire."
The internal situation of the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-youl) faction, which had supported President Yoon, has also become complicated. If former Chairman Han challenges the party leadership, he will inevitably confront President Yoon. As Mayor Hong's criticism of former Chairman Han grows sharper, pro-Yoon lawmakers are criticizing Mayor Hong while distancing themselves from any association with President Yoon. On May 21, lawmaker Park Soo-young wrote on his Facebook, "Mayor Hong, you can leave (resign from the party) sooner if you want. No one will follow you." Lawmaker Lee Cheol-gyu also said on a broadcast, "Personally, I hope such divisive remarks within the party will decrease."
A source close to Mayor Hong recently said regarding his remarks, "There is some intention to check former Chairman Han, but also some feelings of hardship when the party was in trouble." Lawmaker Hong Seok-joon also said on a radio broadcast, "In 2017, when the Moon Jae-in government took over and so-called purging of deep-rooted evils happened, many people in our party camp were thoroughly investigated and some even took extreme measures, and at that time, wasn't Mayor Hong the party leader?" adding, "Because of that, some painful memories from the past seem to have resurfaced, leading Mayor Hong to make his characteristic candid remarks more strongly."
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