Hong Junpyo Criticizes People Power Party: "How Can a Party That Lost the Presidential Election Through a Fraudulent Primary Pursue Innovation?"

"People Power Party, Defeated in Presidential Election, Can't Even Publish a Single White Paper"
Relentless Criticism of the Party... "Consider This as Reaping What You Sow"

Hong Junpyo, former mayor of Daegu, who declared his departure from the People Power Party and retirement from politics after failing to secure the party's presidential nomination, delivered sharp criticism targeting the People Power Party, saying, "How can a party that lost a winnable presidential election due to a fraudulent primary possibly pursue any kind of innovation?"

On July 9, Hong wrote on his Facebook account, "The starting point of innovation is expulsion and the elimination of vested interests, but can a party that suffered a crushing defeat in the general election and couldn't even publish a single white paper really accomplish that?"

Hong Junpyo, former mayor of Daegu. Asia Economy DB.

He continued, "Aren't they just pretending to do something, deceiving the public, and planning to commit yet another fraud against the people?" He further criticized, "Even when I issued a public warning of impeachment 40 days before the impeachment, they ignored it." He added, "During the presidential primary, I openly warned that if the party lost the presidential election, not only former President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee, but also key figures would end up in prison and the party would face a dissolution request, but those who ignored this warning and rigged the primary went ahead with the fraudulent process."

Hong emphasized that "you reap what you sow." He noted that the Democratic Party also went through a chaotic period when the party name changed multiple times in a single year and emergency leadership committees were constantly in place, but after a sweeping overhaul of senior members and a renaming to the Democratic Party of Korea, the party was able to revive. He went on to say, "Everyone should think of this as their own fault and as something they brought upon themselves," and added, "Only when you are prepared to start again from the ruins will you see a path to recovery."

After failing in the presidential primary, Hong left the People Power Party, to which he had belonged for 30 years, and departed for Hawaii, declaring his retirement from politics. However, after returning from Hawaii on June 17, he reignited speculation about founding a new party by posting on June 25, "I will wait until the world calls for me again." He has continued to deliver harsh criticism of the People Power Party, saying, for example, "The People Power Party will not be able to avoid dissolution like the Unified Progressive Party."