People Power Party's First Primary Group Debate
Hong Junpyo to Na Kyungwon: "You were victimized by Myung Taegyun twice"
Na: "Are you bringing up the Myung Taegyun case to clear your name?"
At the first group debate (Group B) of the People Power Party's presidential primary held on the 20th, candidates exchanged personal attacks, drawing attention.
Candidate Junpyo Hong addressed candidate Donghoon Han, saying, "Before coming here today, people on 'Youth's Dream' (Hong's online communication platform) asked me to make sure to ask you a few questions, so I will. You're already tall, so why do you wear height-increasing shoes?"
In response, Han said, "You don't seem very youthful, judging by questions like that." Hong replied, "I'm not going to ask childish questions like whether your hair is natural or if you're wearing shapewear," to which Han countered, "That is childish."
Hong further pressed Han, saying, "The purpose of this primary is to choose someone who can defeat Lee Jaemyung. When you were Minister of Justice, you failed to bring Lee Jaemyung to justice and lost judicially. As the acting leader of the People Power Party, you also suffered a crushing defeat in the general election. What are you going to do this time?"
On the 20th, candidate Han Donghoon from Group B is speaking at the first group debate of the People Power Party's 21st presidential primary held at ASSA Art Hall in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group. Yonhap News Agency
Han responded, "Despite being in a minority position, I managed to pass the arrest motion for Lee Jaemyung. Although we lost the general election, I was later elected party leader with 63% of the vote, which speaks for itself." He continued, "Someone who can speak confidently about martial law and overcome both former President Yoon Sukyeol and candidate Lee Jaemyung can win this election. I believe that person is me."
When Hong asked, "How will you shake off the 'betrayer' label?" Han replied, "I blocked martial law to avoid betraying the people." Han then asked in return, "Let me ask you this: If you had been in my position as party leader at 10:30 p.m. on December 3 last year, would you have blocked martial law, or would you have supported the president?" Hong avoided a direct answer, saying, "I was the mayor of Daegu at the time. There's no point in asking hypothetical questions."
Hong also targeted candidate Kyungwon Na, saying, "You must feel wronged, having been the victim of manipulated polls by Myung Taegyun twice?once in the last party leader election and again in the Seoul mayoral by-election."
Na replied, "I've been affected by the Myung Taegyun incident twice. Both times, it was due to strange polling within our party. Since you, candidate Hong, keep getting linked to the Myung Taegyun case, aren't you bringing this up now to clear things up?"
On the 20th, candidates from Group B of the People Power Party's 21st presidential primary held a commemorative photo session before the group debate at ASSA Art Hall in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. From left to right: Cheolwoo Lee, Kyungwon Na, Junpyo Hong, Donghoon Han. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers. Yonhap News Agency
She continued, "I wish our party would stop doing things like this. The rules change every time there's a primary. Shouldn't we at least stick to the 5:5 principle of public opinion polls and party member votes for this first preliminary round?"
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