Jo Wonjin: "The Conservative Bloc Has Already Forgotten Hong Junpyo... No Reason for Lee Junseok to Join Hands"

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Jo Wonjin, leader of the Our Republican Party, dismissed the possibility of an alliance between Lee Junseok of the Reform New Party and former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo, stating, "The conservative bloc has already forgotten Hong Junpyo." On the 16th, appearing on MBC Radio's 'Kwon Soonpyo's News High Kick,' Jo criticized, "Former Mayor Hong said he was retiring from politics, then went to the United States, wore red clothes, then blue clothes. It is embarrassing to watch." He added, "The conservative bloc has already forgotten Hong Junpyo, so no matter how much he tries to explain himself now, there is no place for him to return to."

On May 10, former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo, departing for Korea, meets Lee Junseok, the presidential candidate of the Reform New Party, who came to see him off at the VIP lounge of Incheon International Airport. Photo by Yonhap News TV

When the host asked, "Wouldn't former Mayor Hong feel somewhat disappointed?" Jo responded, "As a senior, Hong Junpyo may feel disappointed, but having been in politics for a long time, he should have anticipated this. The loser should remain silent. After losing, one should simply leave instead of making all sorts of comments." He continued, "There is talk about returning, joining hands with Lee Junseok, or founding a new party, but who would actually join such a new party? Personally, I do not think highly of Hong Junpyo as a senior."

Regarding Lee Junseok, Jo commented, "He is indeed an asset to the right (conservative) side," and added, "Through this presidential election, he gained the significant asset of receiving 8% of the vote, and the controversies and verbal missteps he experienced provided him with valuable political experience in terms of self-discipline." Jo further stated, "There is no reason for Lee Junseok to join hands with Hong Junpyo, who is now a politically forgotten figure. It would be better for Hong Junpyo to remain quiet for his own sake." When the host asked, "Is Lee Junseok someone the People Power Party could embrace?" Jo replied, "At this moment, neither the People Power Party nor Lee Junseok would pursue that, but at some point, such an opportunity may arise. If Lee Junseok continues to act independently, it will be extremely difficult to stand up against the large opposition party and the Lee Jaemyung administration, which holds executive power. There will come a time when it becomes clear that survival on one's own is not possible."

Hong Junpyo, former mayor of Daegu. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Division

Meanwhile, former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo, who had declared his retirement from politics and left for Hawaii, is set to return to Korea on the 17th. It has been just over a month since he departed for Hawaii on May 10, following his defeat in the People Power Party's presidential primary. Kang Myunggu, a member of the People Power Party, appeared on YTN Radio's 'News Fighting with Kim Youngsoo' and, when asked by the host about the future of the conservative bloc upon Hong's return, said, "Since the impeachment crisis in 2017, former Mayor Hong played a significant and crucial role in rebuilding the conservative camp. After the 2025 impeachment, the current conservative camp is facing internal strife and a truly great crisis. If he returns with the same mindset as before, I expect that he will once again contribute to reviving the conservative bloc."

Regarding the possibility of founding a new party, Kang said, "It's impossible," and added, "Lee Junseok already has the Reform New Party, so I don't see how it makes sense to create another new party. I don't think that will happen." However, Lee Junseok of the Reform New Party has left open the possibility of meeting with former Mayor Hong. Since former Mayor Hong showed special support for Lee during the presidential race, speculation about the two forming a new conservative bloc has persisted. Given that the petition for Lee's expulsion has reached 570,000 signatures, it is difficult to rule out the possibility that former Mayor Hong could step in as a savior for Lee.