"Dolphins and Anchovies Followed by Lemmings"... The Animal Kingdom of the Opposition Party's Presidential Primary

Yoon Seok-yeol Side Classifies Presidential Candidates as Dolphins, Anchovies, etc.
Hong Joon-pyo "I Live My Own Life"... Warns Against 'Lemming' Lineup Metaphor
Yoon Hee-sook "After Korean Beef and Hanwoo, Now Fish... Animal Kingdom Presidential Primary"
Choi Jae-hyung "Who Is Dolphin or Anchovy, We'll Know Later"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Various animals have begun to appear on the stage of the People Power Party's presidential candidate primary. When an official from former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's camp compared a leading presidential candidate to a dolphin and a candidate with low approval ratings to an anchovy, other candidates strongly protested.

On the 7th, Hong Joon-pyo, a presidential candidate from the People Power Party, stated on social media (SNS), "I was horrified to see the analogy of dolphin and anchovy made by an official from Yoon's side, and I want to say a word," adding, "The dolphin referred to by that official is merely a fish that moves reflexively according to the fish thrown by the trainer. However, I am not a fish but a person who lives my life with a clear conviction."

Earlier, Jeong Jin-seok, a People Power Party lawmaker supporting former Prosecutor General Yoon, criticized an event held with all presidential candidates together through SNS the previous day, saying, "You cannot raise big fish in a 'cage aquaculture farm.' Anchovies, mackerels, and dolphins have different growth conditions." Jeong emphasized, "By now, each candidate has a spiderweb-like schedule and cannot cancel appointments," and stressed, "It should be 'candidate convenience-oriented'." He likened candidates with high approval ratings to dolphins and those with low ratings to anchovies.

Hong also criticized former Prosecutor General Yoon. He said, "I am not a drifter wandering here and there like that person but a rightful heir who has protected this party with loyalty and faith," adding, "These days, I see an untrained dolphin who keeps making gaffes daily and is only busy with trivial ranking."

He particularly attacked Yoon's recent show of strength by recruiting party members one after another. Hong said, "I also see groups following that dolphin, running toward the cliff like lemmings," adding, "It is truly pitiful and pathetic. The world is not that easy. Be serious and cautious. Politics can vanish in an instant."

Yoon Hee-sook, another presidential candidate from the People Power Party, also joined the criticism. Yoon said, "Enough of this animal kingdom presidential primary," and pointed out, "Now it’s anchovies, mackerels, and even whales! It’s not even a fish market, but it started from mullets, Korean beef, and domestic beef, and it just never ends." She criticized, "Go grocery shopping right now," adding, "People are deeply worried ahead of Chuseok."

Yoon referred to the Buddhist parable ‘Gongmyeongjijo,’ in which a bird with two heads had one head jealous of the other, causing the other to eat a poisonous berry and both died, criticizing, "Are you trying to commit the foolishness of attacking each other while forgetting the symbiotic relationship and dying together?"

She said, "Whales, mackerels, and anchovies should each try their best to cross the Pacific," adding, "Who will cross first? Who knows?"

Choi Jae-hyung, a former Auditor General and another presidential candidate from the People Power Party, said to reporters after visiting the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant, "Whether one is a dolphin or an anchovy, we will know later."

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