People Power Party Second Primary One-on-One Debate
Han: "The party member bulletin board is anonymous, no need to verify"
Hong: "Your silence makes it seem like it was your family"
On the Myung Taegyun poll controversy
Hong: "I've never received a poll from Myung Taegyun"
Han: "If you say something untrue, you'll end up like Lee Jaemyung"
Han Donghoon, former leader of the People Power Party and presidential contender, and Hong Junpyo, former mayor and also a presidential contender, clashed on April 25 over the 'Party Member Bulletin Board Controversy' and the 'Myung Taegyun Controversy'.
During the second round of the one-on-one primary debate held at the Channel A studio in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Hong Junpyo questioned Han Donghoon about the 'Party Member Bulletin Board Controversy' that arose during Han's tenure as party leader. "Posts harshly criticizing former President Yoon Sukyeol and his wife were uploaded. Was it Han's family who posted them, or not?" he asked.
Han Donghoon responded, "I am surprised that you are so invested in the bulletin board while you were running away during martial law. Do you still think that former President Yoon and Kim Keonhee are untouchable?" He strongly objected, saying, "Is it wrong for party members to criticize the presidential couple or the party leader on an anonymous bulletin board? Is that what you think politics should be?"
He continued, "What do you intend to achieve by bringing former President Yoon and Mrs. Kim back to the center of the election in this situation?"
Hong Junpyo pressed for a clear answer, saying, "Don't dodge the question. Was it your family who posted the criticism, or not? If not, just say so." Han Donghoon replied, "There is no need to verify posts written on an anonymous board," and did not give a specific answer.
When Hong Junpyo insisted, "If you just say it's not your family, it's simple. The fact that you're not answering makes it seem like it is your family," Han Donghoon countered, "We are democrats, and that's why. The party member bulletin board guarantees anonymity so that people can freely express their opinions."
After being attacked, Han Donghoon brought up the 'Kim Okgyun Project.' The core of the Kim Okgyun Project is the claim that pro-Yoon factions within the People Power Party planned to oust Han Donghoon, then the party leader, and seize party control last year.
Han Donghoon said, "At that time, I was aware of the scheme to oust me through the 'Kim Okgyun Project.' What really puzzled me was that the mayor of Daegu took the lead in it. Whose words did you listen to when you jumped in?" he asked, shifting the direction of the debate.
However, Hong Junpyo pointed out that Han Donghoon had actively pushed for a special prosecutor law regarding Kim Keonhee, saying, "Calling Mrs. Kim your sister-in-law and then doing bad things to her is just like Lee Jaemyung."
Han Donghoon replied, "If someone gives you a tie, do you just follow whatever they do wrong? If you receive a tie, do you support martial law? Isn't that too simplistic? If someone gives you something and treats you well, do you focus your politics on that person instead of the people? I don't do that. I will only look to the people when I do politics," he emphasized.
People Power Party presidential primary candidates Han Donghoon and Hong Junpyo are embracing at the media day of the 2nd primary debate held at the People Power Party Central Party Office in Yeouido, Seoul on April 23, 2025. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group
Han Donghoon and Hong Junpyo also exchanged barbs over the political broker Myung Taegyun. Han Donghoon said to Hong Junpyo, "(Hong Junpyo) wrote on Facebook, 'You can't be involved in public opinion manipulation unless you've met Myung Taegyun at least once.' But the next day, when a photo came out, you changed your words."
Hong Junpyo retorted, "How childish is it for someone who served as Minister of Justice to ask such a question? What kind of photo is it? When I was governor of Gyeongnam, I went to an event where I gave a speech, and Myung Taegyun was the host. I attended more than 100 events as governor. How am I supposed to know who the host is?"
Han Donghoon referred to media reports that Hong Junpyo's side had received poll results from Mirae Korea Research Institute, which was effectively operated by Myung Taegyun, and asked, "Is it true that your side received poll results from Mirae Korea Research Institute related to Myung Taegyun?"
When Hong Junpyo firmly replied, "No," Han Donghoon pressed, "If you say something untrue, you'll end up like Lee Jaemyung, who is accused of violating the Public Official Election Act. Are you sure you have no knowledge of this?" In response, Hong Junpyo again said, "No."
Han Donghoon increased the pressure by mentioning figures associated with Hong Junpyo, such as Park Jaegi, former president of Gyeongnam Development Corporation, and Choi Yonghui, former head of the Seoul Office's External Cooperation Team in Daegu, saying, "The prosecution is investigating claims that these individuals paid money on your behalf."
Hong Junpyo responded, "They paid with their own money, not on my behalf. Our campaign should have commissioned the work. People keep comparing this to the case of Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon, but in Oh's case, was it the campaign staff who acted, or not? That's the issue. In our campaign, we had nothing to do with those people. We did not commission anything," he stressed.
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