Hong Joonpyo: "The Yoon Administration Was a Government That Should Never Have Existed"

Claims of Mass Party Memberships from Groups Like Shincheonji and the Unification Church
"After Being Cheated in Primaries Twice, I Became Disillusioned and Left the People Power Party"

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joonpyo strongly criticized the Yoon Sukyeol administration, calling it a "government that should never have come into existence."

On July 26, Hong wrote on Facebook, "The recent special prosecutor's investigation, which is focusing on the People Power Party's presidential primary in October 2021, appears to be targeting the legitimacy of the Yoon administration's inception." He continued, "At the time, I won a landslide victory in public opinion polls by 10.27%, but suffered a crushing defeat in the party member vote, which led me to hand over the candidacy to former President Yoon." He added, "Everyone knows that the reason Representative Kwon Seongdong, who was serving as the general manager for Yoon's camp, boasted about a landslide victory in the party member vote was because of the mass membership registrations of tens of thousands of group responsible party members from religious groups such as Shincheonji and the Unification Church." Hong argued, "If that is properly investigated, the Yoon administration would be revealed as a government that should never have come into existence."

Hong Junpyo, former mayor of Daegu. Photo by Yonhap News

Hong recalled, "Some people went around boasting that Yoon Sukyeol's maternal family was from Gangneung, some claimed to be my seniors from the prosecution, and others bragged about being elementary school friends with me in Gongju, all in an attempt to sway party sentiment." He continued, "After sweeping up all the National Assembly members and party chapter heads, they brought in an election commissioner from the prosecution to lead a biased and distorted primary, and even had Myung Taegyun manipulate public opinion without hesitation. I have not forgotten that fraudulent primary."

He went on, "Even so, I accepted the result, moved to Daegu, and spent three years helping the Yoon Sukyeol administration in hopes of a better future for the country. However, as they spent their days in a power struggle with Han Donghoon, they plunged the nation into chaos with irrational martial law and impeachment." He added, "Because my opponent was Lee Jaemyung, I held onto a sliver of hope and entered the presidential primary again. Nevertheless, Yoon and his group remained oblivious, once again attempted a fraudulent primary by putting forward Han Ducksoo, and ultimately handed the country over to the Lee Jaemyung administration."

Hong also criticized the People Power Party. He stated, "You reap what you sow, and pay for the sins you commit?that is the way of the world." He emphasized, "Such incidents must never happen again in Korean politics, and the Korean conservative camp must take this as an opportunity for great awakening." In conclusion, he wrote, "After being subjected to fraudulent primaries twice, I have become so disillusioned with that party (the People Power Party) that I can no longer remain, so I have left the party."