Hong Joon-pyo vs Yoo Seung-min 'Fierce Verbal Battle'... "Will You Carry a Traitor?" vs "The Real Traitor Is You"

Hong Jun-pyo and Yoo Seung-min Clash Over Volunteer Military System and Betrayal
Yoo Seung-min: "Hong Jun-pyo's Volunteer Military System Will Send Only Children from Poor Families to the Army"
Hong Jun-pyo: "Will Yoo Seung-min Carry the Betrayer Label?"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Yoo Seung-min, a former lawmaker and presidential candidate of the People Power Party, raised doubts about Hong Joon-pyo's proposal to switch to a volunteer military system on the 23rd. Yoo expressed concerns that if a volunteer military system is introduced, only children from poor families would be able to serve in the military. In a public opinion poll, the two leading presidential candidates of the People Power Party engaged in a heated exchange, using terms like "traitor."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the second presidential primary debate of the People Power Party that day, Yoo said, "Four years ago, just before the presidential election, Hong said in an interview with a certain media outlet that the volunteer military system was nonsense. He said it was a shallow trick to gain young people's votes, but now he has changed his stance to support the volunteer military system." He then asked, "If you become president, will you implement the volunteer military system immediately upon taking office?"

Regarding Hong's statement that he would offer a starting salary comparable to that of large corporations to volunteer soldiers, Yoo questioned, "The average is about 40 to 42 million won, and are you saying you would give that to a private?" He explained, "Hong is referring to non-commissioned officers." When Yoo asked about the implementation timeline, "Is it possible within five years?" Hong replied, "Whether it can be done within five years remains to be seen."

Yoo mentioned, "Countries like the United States have tried the volunteer military system, but recruitment was difficult even with good treatment. The military involves life-and-death matters, so people are reluctant to join." He continued, "Moreover, if only children from low-income, poor families end up serving, don't you think it's unfair that children from wealthy families pay taxes that send poor children to the military with their money?"

Yoo and Hong also engaged in a heated debate over the "traitor" controversy.

When Hong asked, "How do you plan to resolve the traitor frame?" Yoo retorted, "Throughout my political career, I have not changed my stance multiple times like Hong has on this issue." Yoo explained, "I said that I voted for impeachment according to my conscience and beliefs, and I apologized for not being free from responsibility for the conservative division that followed." He added, "Hong used former President Park Geun-hye when it was advantageous and discarded her when it was disadvantageous, changing his words multiple times. I really wonder how a politician can behave like that."

When Hong asked, "Are you saying you will carry the traitor frame with you?" Yoo claimed, "Someone like Hong can be considered a true traitor."

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