Hong Jun-pyo on Intra-Party Conflict: "Players and Referees Entangled in Nitpicking Arguments... Truly Childish"

People Power Party presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo is speaking during a visit to the Korea Senior Citizens Association headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 18th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] Hong Joon-pyo, a presidential candidate from the People Power Party, recently criticized the internal party conflict, saying, "At a time when everyone should be working together, it looks really childish to see players and referees tangled up, arguing over the details of phone conversations."

On the 19th, Hong posted on his Facebook, "I do not see the internal party conflict as serious, but it is regrettable," and added, "I hope everyone exercises restraint and focuses on creating a fair primary election environment."

He advised, "What the current leadership should do is to establish a fair competition ground through mutual verification so that the best policies and flawless candidates can advance to the general election."

He further explained, "The primary election within the party is for the candidates to focus solely on persuading the public according to the leadership's policy."

He concluded by saying, "Let everyone take a step back and think about the future of the party and the country," adding, "Division is defeat."

Previously, Hong consistently supported Lee Jun-seok amid the party conflict. On the 14th, through Facebook, he criticized, "If two or three candidates who are players try to decide the referee as well, that primary election will lead to destruction," and said, "There should be no more attempts to shake the party leader in groups."

On the 13th, he emphasized, "Those working in each candidate's camp should work hard within their own camps, and those in specific candidate camps should refrain from banding together to attack the party leader," adding, "The public is watching. The party leader must be the center."

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