Joo Ho-young: "We Must Choose Regions to Maximize Hwang Kyo-ahn's Influence... Considering Newcomers in Jongno"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Joo Ho-young, a member of the Liberty Korea Party, stated that regarding the candidacy region of Hwang Kyo-ahn, the party leader of the Liberty Korea Party, they plan to select a region where his influence can be maximized. He also mentioned that they are considering the option of fielding a newcomer in the Jongno district, where former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon is expected to run.

On the 3rd, Joo appeared on YTN Radio's 'Noh Young-hee's Start of a New Morning' and said, "Elections are a battle of frames. We do not need to easily respond to the frames created by the Democratic Party," expressing this view.

He added, "We need to choose a region or method that can maximize Leader Hwang's influence. For example, if we were to set a frame and say 'come here,' and if he refuses, we should not just blindly follow. I understand that the nomination committee is making judgments on multiple levels about what would be most beneficial for our party and how to conduct the election efficiently."

Joo said, "Since Leader Hwang, as party leader, must also oversee nationwide elections, there are such aspects to consider. Taking those factors into account, we will see and decide how to arrange things to maximize influence," and he added, "as time passes, more concrete plans will emerge," he questioned rhetorically.

Regarding the plan to field a newcomer politician in Jongno, he said, "I understand that such an option is also being considered," and explained, "Usually, when a heavyweight candidate runs in a district, the strategy is to field another heavyweight candidate who is comparable or superior to compete in the election, or alternatively, to field a youth or newcomer of a different dimension to engage in an asymmetrical power election."

In response to former Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo's criticism that this is 'cowardly,' Joo said, "People have different perspectives on the overall election structure and strategy," and added, "It is highly unlikely that a party leader-level candidate will be deployed to a difficult district in the metropolitan area due to time constraints." Regarding rumors about nominating former leader Kim Moo-sung in Gwangju, he evaluated the possibility as low, saying, "While having a lot of political imagination is good, when that imagination is not supported by reality, it can end up as comedy."

Regarding the 'Ahn Cheol-soo new party,' he viewed it negatively, saying, "Real-world politics is not easy," and Joo pointed out, "The centripetal force of real-world politics, especially before elections, strongly drives the two-party system, so it will not be easy this time either," adding, "The desire for new politics symbolized by the Ahn Cheol-soo phenomenon has now largely faded."

He also did not forget to criticize the government's measures against the novel coronavirus (Wuhan pneumonia). Joo said, "Yesterday, albeit belatedly, the Prime Minister announced that foreigners coming from Hubei, China, will be blocked, and Koreans coming from Hubei will be quarantined for two weeks, but experts argue that since the virus has already spread throughout China, the entire country should be blocked," expressing concern that "although it has been newly revealed that asymptomatic transmission is highly possible, we only have 130 domestic epidemiologists."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.