"I Will End Lee Nak-yeon's Political Life" Hwang Kyo-ik Declares 'Declaration of War' Over 'Boeun Appointment' Claims

Taste columnist Hwang Kyo-ik, nominated as the president of Gyeonggi Tourism Organization.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Hwang Kyo-ik, the nominee for president of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, who has been embroiled in controversies such as "favoritism appointments" and "pro-Japanese" accusations, expressed anger, saying, "Until the confirmation hearing, I will focus on ending Lee Nak-yeon's political life."

Earlier, Lee Nak-yeon, a presidential pre-candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized Hwang's nomination as president of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization. Oh Young-hoon, chief spokesperson for Lee's campaign, stated on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" on the 16th, "There was a time when Governor Lee appeared on the YouTube channel run by Hwang, and Hwang also defended the 'brother-in-law's curse.' This can be seen as a favoritism appointment for pro-Lee Jae-myung personnel."

Shin Kyung-min, former lawmaker and senior vice chairman of Lee's campaign, also mocked Hwang on the 17th during an interview on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show," saying, "He is more suited to be president of a tourism organization in Tokyo or Osaka, Japan, rather than Gyeonggi Tourism Organization."

Hwang Kyo-ik, the nominee for president of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, has rebutted criticisms from Lee Nak-yeon, a preliminary presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Hwang, candidate's Facebook capture.

In response, Hwang posted on his Facebook on the morning of the 18th, drawing a line against calls for voluntary resignation from some quarters.

Hwang stated, "I applied for the president position at the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, passed the document screening and interview, and became a candidate. The Gyeonggi Provincial Council confirmation hearing is pending, but some politicians are demanding withdrawal or resignation. The candidacy is a right I secured through my abilities. If you are not fascists, please do not arbitrarily deprive citizens of their rights."

He then addressed the criticism from Lee's camp. Hwang said, "I was very angry all day yesterday because of Lee Nak-yeon's pro-Japanese frame. I interpreted it as Lee sending me a signal saying 'I will kill you.' The pro-Japanese frame Lee threw at me is different in nature from the pro-Japanese frames thrown by Ilbe users on the internet. Lee is a powerful politician who even served as Prime Minister. He is a political power capable of destroying everything about me," he emphasized.

He continued, "If I become president of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, I cannot make political statements. When I became a candidate, I resolved not to express political opinions from now on. However, I cannot remain silent in the face of Lee Nak-yeon's attack aimed at killing me. I understand there are concerns about falling into Lee's negative tactics, but I don't know politics, and since this is a matter of my dignity and survival, I cannot avoid fighting," he explained.

Hwang added, "From today until just before the confirmation hearing, I will focus solely on ending Lee Nak-yeon's political life. My attacks may not cause significant damage to Lee, but I have no choice but to confront the attacks aimed at killing me. Even if I lose, I will lose with dignity. So please do not tell me to step down," he said.

Meanwhile, the confirmation hearing for Hwang by the Gyeonggi Provincial Council is scheduled for the 30th. The final appointment decision rests with Lee Jae-myung, governor of Gyeonggi Province and a Democratic Party presidential candidate.

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