Hong Criticizing Yoon... Opposition Debate Pressuring No.1 Approval Rating

Focused Attack on Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol in 4th TV Debate
Hong Asks "Do You Know the Inter-Korean Power Index?"... Yoon Responds "Please Explain What It Is"

Preliminary candidates for the People Power Party's presidential primary are taking a commemorative photo at the 4th broadcast debate of the presidential primary held on the 28th at MBC in Sangam-dong, Seoul. From the left: Hwang Kyo-ahn, Yoo Seung-min, Choi Jae-hyung, Ahn Sang-soo, Ha Tae-kyung, Yoon Seok-youl, Hong Joon-pyo, and Won Hee-ryong. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] If the Democratic Party of Korea's primary process is defined as the 'Myeong-Nak Battle' (the showdown between Lee Jae-myung and Lee Nak-yeon), the People Power Party's can be summarized as 'attacking Yoon Seok-yeol.' The candidates of the People Power Party, currently holding preliminary primary debates, are employing a strategy aimed at provoking 'slip-ups' from former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who leads in approval ratings. Through this, they intend to frame Yoon, who entered politics relatively late, as an 'underprepared candidate.' In particular, the attacks from Representative Hong Joon-pyo, who is competing with Yoon for first and second place in various polls, are fierce.

On the afternoon of the 28th, during the 4th TV debate, Representative Hong asked former Prosecutor General Yoon, "Do you know what the North-South Power Index is?" Hong targeted a weak spot, assuming Yoon's lack of study in the fields of diplomacy and security. Yoon responded with a somewhat embarrassed smile, asking back, "Power index?" He even asked Hong, "Could you explain what it is?" In the TV debate on the 26th, Hong had also thrown a surprise question at Yoon, asking, "If Operation Plan 5015 is activated, what is the first thing the president must do?" Yoon replied, "Well, please explain it to me," failing to provide a clear answer.

When former Prosecutor General Yoon tried to steer the debate by focusing on the 'Daejang-dong preferential treatment allegations,' Hong attempted to 'tackle' him. Hong attacked, "The Daejang-dong case smelled foul from the start, but did you know nothing about it while you were Prosecutor General?" Yoon answered, "I knew nothing at all." Hong then fired a direct shot, saying, "If you didn't know, that means incompetence." Yoon expressed displeasure, replying, "I apologize for my incompetence."

Former Representative Yoo Seung-min clashed with Yoon by mentioning 'family.' Yoo said, "Let's not touch family," and pointed out, "I never said a word about Yoon's wife, mother-in-law, or all those corruptions." In a previous debate, when Yoo mentioned that 'all the judges and prosecutors involved in Daejang-dong are rotten,' Yoon called it "inappropriate" and referred to Yoo's father and brother, who are legal professionals. Additionally, former Auditor General Choi Jae-hyung brought up a media interview, saying, "He said he could meet Kim Jong-un without apologizing for the Cheonan sinking," and criticized, "Can this be called a country where those who sacrificed for the nation, as Yoon said, do not get angry?"

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