Hong Jun-pyo: "We Must Build a Big Tent Against Lee Jae-myung... I Will End the Second Primary with a Majority"

On the Proposal to Draft Han Duck-soo:
"An Absurd Idea"

Hong Joon-pyo, former mayor of Daegu and a candidate in the People Power Party's presidential primary, said, "If the Lee Jae-myung and Hong Joon-pyo dynamic is properly established, the primary election issue will be automatically resolved."

Hong appeared on KBS1 radio's 'Jeonggyeok Sisa' and said, "There is no time now. In a normal presidential election, there is about six months for the primary and four months for the general election, but now there are only 60 days combined for both the primary and the general election." He added, "Since ten days have already passed, there is too little time to be absorbed in the primary and then prepare for the general election." He also said, "If the campaign is targeted at the general election, the primary issue will be automatically resolved," and added, "I will push to finish it in the second round."

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo is declaring his candidacy for the 21st presidential election at the Camp office in Daehwa Building, Yeouido, Seoul on the 14th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Regarding the 'anti-Lee Jae-myung big tent theory,' Hong said, "All those in the Democratic Party who are on the anti-Lee Jae-myung front and those in our conservative camp should all be included (in the big tent)." He added, "After the primary ends and the candidate is chosen, I think we will have no choice but to push for the big tent to contest this election."

He continued with sharp remarks about Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. He claimed, "If he is elected, it will be a country where immorality and disgrace are justified," and said, "Lee once said that 'power must be exercised ruthlessly.' Political retaliation will probably be ten times worse than under the Moon Jae-in administration, and the country will be in chaos." He went on, "If Lee is elected, he will bring the country into an era of national debt in the thousands of trillions," and said, "(Lee) only talks about giving away things recklessly. We need to create a society where those who work are respected."

Regarding the 'proposal to draft Han Duck-soo, acting president and prime minister, as a candidate,' which had been raised within the People Power Party, Hong said, "Acting President Han is a bureaucrat who must manage the election neutrally," and called the proposal "(a) nonsensical idea."