"The Essence Is Cowardice Hidden Behind Anonymity"... Hong Joonpyo Criticizes Han Donghoon Over 'Party Member Bulletin Board Controversy'

Hong Joonpyo Criticizes Han Donghoon on Facebook
"Behavior Unbefitting a Politician, Like That of a Gangster"

Regarding the so-called 'party member bulletin board controversy' surrounding former People Power Party leader Han Donghoon, former Daegu mayor Hong Joonpyo criticized it as "cowardice hiding behind anonymity."

On December 10, Hong wrote on Facebook, "The essence of the party member bulletin board incident is the cowardice hidden by anonymity," adding, "If the family of the ruling party leader collectively engaged in such behavior, that is a cowardly and politically immature act."

Hong Joonpyo, former mayor of Daegu. The Asia Business Daily DB.

He further argued that mobilizing the entire family to commit such cowardly acts under the protection of anonymity is akin to gangster-like behavior that politicians must never engage in, stating, "They must be expelled from politics without fail."

He continued, "The person who selected such an individual, as well as someone unqualified serving as party leader-two underqualified people running the country-meant that administration was bound to fail."

The People Power Party's Party Affairs Audit Committee announced the previous day that it is in the process of verifying the identities of those who posted under the same names as Han's family members in connection with the so-called 'party member bulletin board (Dangge) incident.' The 'party member bulletin board incident' refers to allegations that Han's family members were involved in posting slanderous comments about former President Yoon Sukyeol and his wife on the party's bulletin board in November of last year.

Lee Hosun, chair of the Party Affairs Audit Committee, stated in an "urgent press notice" to the press corps, "As a result of checking the party member roster, individuals A, B, and C, who use the same names as Han's family members, are all registered in the same Gangnam-gu Byeong constituency in Seoul," adding, "The last four digits of their mobile phone numbers are also identical." Individual D was confirmed to be an overseas party member. Additionally, the withdrawal dates for all four individuals were found to be nearly identical. The four people in question share the same names as Han's wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and daughter.