'Hometown Candidacy' Persisted by Hong Jun-pyo... Early Overheating of Local Elections

Miryang, Uiryeong, Haman, Changnyeong Districts: 5 Nomination Applications from Korean Party
Jo Hae-jin: "Hong Jun-pyo Should Lay Low" Continuous Attacks
Jo Hae-jin Also Attacked... Election Commission Files Complaint with Prosecutors

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Former Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo's insistence on running in his hometown has caused the electoral district to show signs of early election overheating. Not only are there mutual slanders among candidates, but there have also been cases of complaints filed with the Election Commission.

On the 10th, Kim Hyung-oh, the party's nomination committee chairman, urged former leader Hong once again to run in the metropolitan area, requesting, "Please give me an answer by tomorrow at the latest." The previous day, Chairman Kim personally visited Miryang to persuade former leader Hong but returned empty-handed. Former leader Hong refused, saying, "I have already done enough. Now please let me go."

As former leader Hong and the party's nomination committee engage in a daily power struggle, competitors have also joined in criticizing former leader Hong. A prominent figure is former lawmaker Cho Hae-jin. He criticized, "Former leader Hong's hometown candidacy has neither principle nor justification," and added, "Honestly admit that there is no place to win under the party banner except for the hometown," sharpening his words again that day by calling it "an action that fails to meet the expectations of the local residents."

Former Liberty Korea Party talent recruitment committee member Park Sang-woong also declared his candidacy that day and indirectly criticized former leader Hong. He targeted him by saying, "I can never tolerate the wrong political consciousness that regards this area as merely a political stepping stone or a passing station."

The offensive against leading candidates extends beyond former leader Hong to former lawmaker Cho. Former lawmaker Cho was recently reported to the prosecution and the Election Commission for violating the Public Official Election Act, and on the 7th, the Gyeongnam Election Commission filed a complaint against him with the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office Miryang branch for distorting and announcing the results of a public opinion poll. According to Article 252 of the Public Official Election Act, if a public opinion poll is distorted and announced or reported, the offender may face imprisonment for up to five years or a fine ranging from 3 million to 20 million won. Former lawmaker Cho expressed confidence in his nomination by stating on the day, "If I do not receive the nomination, I will not run."

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