"Since Joining the Party in 1996, I Have Always Been an Active Member" Emphasized
Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, on the 14th, responded to criticism from some pro-Han Dong-hoon factions within the ruling party who said he was "not befitting of a senior statesman," stating, "If you are a senior member of the party, that may be one thing, but telling me not to engage in practical politics by calling me a party elder is inappropriate."
In a post on his Facebook that day, Mayor Hong said, "I joined this party in January 1996 and have always worked as an active member; I have never retired from practical politics."
He continued, "Look up the word 'mercenary' in the dictionary before using it. If you do not understand its meaning, you are not qualified to be a member of the National Assembly," and pointed out, "You boast about becoming party leader with 62% support, but I became party leader with an overwhelming 67% support, yet I resigned immediately after the crushing defeat in the local elections."
He also said, "Be ashamed of running for party leader again without any sense of shame after the crushing defeat in the general election," and sharply criticized Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, saying, "You are fussing over the current presidential approval ratings, but the ruling party leader's approval rating is less than half that of the opposition leader's, barely in the 10% range; you should be ashamed."
He described, "The characteristic of Korean politics is that it is dynamic," and recalled, "When I declared my candidacy for the presidential primary in mid-August 2021, I was at 4%, and then-candidate Yoon Seok-youl was at 42%. But two and a half months later, I was at 48%, and Yoon was at 37%."
Mayor Hong emphasized, "Why does the party leader, who reacts angrily even to trivial matters, remain silent and try to cover up the slander incident against the president and his spouse? If there is nothing to hide, immediately request an investigation today and clearly reveal the truth to party members and the public."
Earlier, Jeong Seong-guk, a People Power Party lawmaker considered pro-Han, criticized Mayor Hong on the radio show 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' saying, "The expression 'elder statesman' is so provocative that it is embarrassing," referring to Mayor Hong's statement advising the president to give up the ruling party if it only causes discord.
Jeong predicted, "It seems Mayor Hong has not given up on his dreams yet," and added, "(Han leader) could, in a way, become his strongest rival."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
