PPP Delegation: "Hong Junpyo Expresses Support for Kim Moonsoo... Negative on Joining Campaign Committee"

"Supports Kim Because Yoon Left the Party"
Negative Stance on Joining the Campaign Committee

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo reportedly stated during a meeting with reporters in Hawaii that he supports People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo because former President Yoon Sukyeol has left the party.

Yoo Sangbeom, Head of the Unification Promotion Headquarters of the People Power Party's Presidential Election Campaign Committee, Kim Daesik, Head of External Cooperation Headquarters, Cho Gwanghan, Deputy Head of External Cooperation, and Lee Seongbae, Spokesperson of the Campaign Committee, arrived in Hawaii, USA on the 19th to persuade former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo to join the campaign committee, and are meeting with former Mayor Hong. Photo by Lee Seongbae, Yonhap News

According to a Yonhap News report on May 19, Hong, who is currently staying in Hawaii, made this statement during a meeting with People Power Party lawmaker Kim Daesik. Previously, the campaign committee for People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo dispatched a special delegation?composed of Kim Daesik, Yoo Sangbeom, and others?to Hawaii in an urgent effort to persuade former Mayor Hong to join the campaign committee.

Kim said, "Although we were not able to directly persuade former Mayor Hong to join the campaign committee today, I will remain in Hawaii tomorrow and continue our efforts. Former Mayor Hong stated that conservative unification must be achieved, and he also said that any future political messages would be communicated through me."

Hong Junpyo, a candidate in the People Power Party primary, is presenting his vision at the People Power Party's "21st Presidential Candidate 1st Primary Vision Meeting" held at ASSA Art Hall in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on the 18th of last month. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

Meanwhile, after it became known today that the People Power Party campaign committee had departed for Hawaii to persuade former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo, Hong posted a photo of himself wearing a blue tie on his Facebook page, prompting various interpretations. As blue contrasts with the People Power Party's symbolic color, red, some in the political community speculated that former Mayor Hong may have been indirectly signaling his intention to decline the offer.