Yoon Seok-yeol Called a 'Great Tree' by the Opposition and 'Bubble' by the Ruling Party

Seong Il-jong "A Person with Principles and Convictions"
Song Young-gil "Prosecutors and President Have Different Roles"

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The ruling and opposition parties are offering differing evaluations of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol’s political moves, as he emerges as a leading presidential candidate. The opposition generally gives positive assessments and is sending him "love calls," while the ruling party tends to downplay his presence. Another prominent presidential hopeful from the ruling party, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, also urged him to engage in "future-oriented politics."

On the 9th, Seong Il-jong, an emergency committee member of the People Power Party, referred to former Prosecutor General Yoon as the "people’s candidate" during a radio appearance. Seong said, "I think he is receiving the hopes of the people." Regarding reports of prior coordination between Yoon and Kim Jong-in, chairman of the People Power Party’s emergency committee, he firmly denied, saying, "(That) did not happen," but added, "The chairman evaluates him as a person who is upright and has principles and convictions suitable for governing the country."

On the same day, when Governor Lee Jae-myung was asked by reporters at the National Assembly, where he was attending a party affairs committee meeting, to evaluate former Prosecutor General Yoon, he said, "I don’t know exactly what he will do, but it seems natural that he will engage in politics," adding pointedly, "However, if he refrains from old-fashioned politics and pursues future-oriented politics, it would be beneficial for the people, the country, and himself." Regarding Yoon’s soaring approval ratings, he remarked, "Approval ratings are like the wind; you never know when they might change."

Unlike Lee’s somewhat ambiguous remarks, the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea mostly voiced direct criticism. Policy Committee Chair Hong Ik-pyo downplayed Yoon’s rise on the radio that day, saying, "Because the main opposition party, the People Power Party, lacks a strong candidate, a concentration phenomenon has occurred." Lawmaker Song Young-gil also expressed skepticism about Yoon’s potential success in politics, stating, "The role of a prosecutor who eradicates corruption and conducts investigations and the leadership required to protect national security and revive the economy are entirely different matters."

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