Hong Joon-pyo: "It's been over 20 years since I quit being a sniper... Targeting Han Dong-hoon? I'm teaching him"

Hong Jun-pyo, Mayor of Daegu Metropolitan City

Hong Jun-pyo, Mayor of Daegu Metropolitan City, became upset when the term 'Han Dong-hoon sniper' was used in response to his criticism of Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party.

On the 23rd, Mayor Hong posted on his Facebook, expressing his frustration over some media outlets calling him a 'Han Dong-hoon sniper,' saying, "I cannot shake off the thought that this is truly ignorant," and pointed out, "The term 'sniper' is used only when there is a target worth sniping. How could I possibly snipe a junior who is completely inexperienced?" He added, "I stopped being a sniper after targeting DJ (the late former President Kim Dae-jung) and the late former President Roh Moo-hyun over 20 years ago," and said, "(My criticism of Representative Han) is not sniping but merely teaching him a lesson not to do something absurd."

Earlier, on the 17th, using the same account without mentioning Representative Han directly, Mayor Hong said, "President Yoon (Seok-youl) became president by confronting the existing power, and it seems Representative Han is trying to follow that example, but he must understand that the situation now is completely different from back then," adding, "Causing internal confusion in the middle of the term, not at the end, is considered treason within the conservative camp." He continued, "Differentiation should only be done at the end of the term. Stop acting like an amateur and work with the party and government to resolve this confusion," and said, "Politics that only think about one's image and take selfies, unlike Mayor Oh Se-hoon of Seoul who is handsome, will not last long."

Regarding Representative Han's statement that "personnel reshuffling is needed in the presidential office related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee," Mayor Hong said, "It is truly absurd and ridiculous that someone who rose rapidly as an original Kim line member demands the removal of the seven members of the First Lady's line." He also commented on the series of revelations by Myung Tae-kyun, saying, "The party (People Power Party) cannot say a word about Mr. Myung and is being dragged along, playing games over issues that are not problematic at all."