Kim Geunsik Criticizes Hong Junpyo's "Lee Junseok Is an Investment in the Future" Remark: "This Is Going Way Too Far"

Hong Junpyo's "A vote for Lee Junseok is not a wasted vote, but an investment in the future" comment stirs controversy
Kim Geunsik criticizes: "Is this the result of pleading in Hawaii?"
Kim Daesik seeks to calm tensions: "It means Lee is an asset we may work with someday"

As former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo, who has been living in Hawaii, USA after retiring from politics, stated, "A vote for Lee Junseok is not a wasted vote, but an investment in the future," stirring up the political scene, Kim Geunsik, head of the People Power Party's Songpa-byeong district in Seoul and professor of political science and diplomacy at Kyungnam University, strongly criticized him on the 25th, calling it "self-contradictory, shameless, and brazen."

Yoo Sangbeom, Head of the Unification Promotion Headquarters of the People Power Party's presidential campaign committee, Kim Daesik, Head of External Cooperation Headquarters, Jo Gwanghan, Deputy Head of External Cooperation Headquarters, and Lee Seongbae, Spokesperson of the campaign committee, who visited Hawaii, USA on the 19th to persuade former Daegu Mayor Hong Joonpyo to join the campaign committee, are holding hands with former Mayor Hong (center) and taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Yonhap News

On his social media account that day, Professor Kim wrote, "Is this a reckless act out of anger? This is going way too far," and continued, "The person who once criticized Han Donghoon as a mere mercenary, claiming he himself was the party’s mainstream, the person who harshly condemned centrists joining the party as lacking roots, the person who has benefited from the party in every way?having served twice as party leader, as a presidential candidate, floor leader, five-term lawmaker, mayor of Daegu, and governor of Gyeongnam?this former party leader who boasted of being the party’s owner is now publicly urging people to vote for Lee Junseok instead of our party. This has become a farce," he pointed out.

Professor Kim further criticized, "Is this all that resulted from pro-Yoon figures traveling all the way to Hawaii to plead with him? Some pro-Yoon members nitpick only about Han Donghoon's attire when he makes an appearance, talk about unification deals with Lee Junseok for party leadership, and even attempted to install Han Deoksoo through a dawn coup, yet now they do not even bother to look for him." He added, "Why are they so obsessed with finding fault in Han Donghoon? What exactly are the pro-Yoon vested interests so afraid of?" and emphasized, "Without conservative innovation and without clearing out the old pro-Yoon forces, our party has no future."

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo, who is departing for the United States, is meeting Lee Junseok, the presidential candidate of the Reform New Party, who came to see him off at the VIP lounge of Incheon International Airport on the 10th. Photo by Yonhap News

On the same day, when a supporter posted a criticism of Na Kyungwon, co-chair of the People Power Party’s election committee, for urging unification with Lee Junseok, the Reform New Party’s presidential candidate, former Mayor Hong responded on his online communication channel "Dream of Youth," saying, "A vote for Lee Junseok is not a wasted vote, but an investment in the future," causing a stir. Previously, as former Mayor Hong had unleashed a series of criticisms against the People Power Party, the party even dispatched a so-called "Hawaii special envoy" to convey support for candidate Kim Moonsu, but Hong directly issued a message encouraging support for Lee instead.

Candidate Lee immediately shared a related article on his social media, stating, "The meaning of the message from Hawaii is clear," and added, "It is a call for Korea’s younger generation to head to the polls without hesitation, in order to build a solid political force that will no longer be ignored." He also expressed his gratitude by saying, "Thank you, Representative Hong Junpyo." In contrast, candidate Kim stated, "I have no special comment on former Mayor Hong’s active remarks," and added, "If you look far into the future, you can wait; if you look at the present, you all know well what results may come."

Kim Daesik, a People Power Party lawmaker who recently met former Mayor Hong in Hawaii, said, "There are various interpretations and criticisms regarding former Mayor Hong’s remarks," and acknowledged, "At this point, with the election approaching, I fully understand that the confusion is increasing." However, he added, "Candidate Lee was once our party’s leader. He led a current in conservative politics and spoke of change and reform. Although we are competing in the election now, we must not forget that he is a valuable asset with whom we may one day need to work together again."