Hong Jun-pyo "If you didn't know about the Daejang-dong issue during your tenure as Prosecutor General, you are incompetent" vs Yoon Seok-yeol "Sorry for being incompetent"

Hong Jun-pyo: "North Korea Policy Not Different from Moon Administration, 'Mun Seok-yeol' Term Circulating"
Yoon: "Isn't That a Term Created by Rep. Hong?" "Party Leader Rejected from Campaigning"

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol (left), the People Power Party's presidential candidate, and Representative Hong Joon-pyo are receiving an explanation about the proceedings at a broadcast debate held on the 28th at MBC in Sangam-dong, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] In the 4th TV debate among the People Power Party's presidential candidates, heated exchanges continued between the two leading candidates, Representative Hong Joon-pyo and former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl.

During the 100-minute debate hosted by MBC on the 28th, Representative Hong asked, "The stench of the (Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province) Daejang-dong incident was strong from the beginning, but did you not know anything about it when you were Prosecutor General?" Former Prosecutor General Yoon replied, "I did not know at all." When Representative Hong pointed out, "If you didn't know, that means incompetence," Yoon responded, "I apologize for my incompetence."

Representative Hong continued his offensive targeting former Prosecutor General Yoon over North Korea's nuclear threat and inter-Korean policy. When former Representative Yoo Seung-min pointed out, "You said you would request nuclear sharing with the U.S., but later said you opposed it. Which is your true position?" Yoon answered, "The redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons or nuclear sharing would be tantamount to recognizing North Korea's nuclear possession and would nullify sanctions against North Korea. Nuclear sharing or tactical nukes are something that can only be considered as a last resort after consulting with the U.S. when extended deterrence is absolutely insufficient. Currently, the U.S. does not agree to nuclear sharing or tactical nuclear deployment."

Regarding Yoon's North Korea policy, Representative Hong criticized, "It is completely different from the character of our party. There is even talk of a 'second Moon Jae-in administration.' So much so that the term 'Moon Seok-youl (Moon Jae-in + Yoon Seok-youl)' is circulating." In response, Yoon retorted, "Isn't that something Representative Hong made up?" He then emphasized, "It is much more advantageous to set a principle of not recognizing North Korea's nuclear possession and respond accordingly than to acknowledge it."

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 the National Assembly Press Photographers Group [Image source=Yonhap News]

Later, during the leadership debate, former Prosecutor General Yoon counterattacked by mentioning that during the 2018 local elections, party candidates refused to campaign in support of Representative Hong, who was then the leader of the Liberty Korea Party (now People Power Party).

Yoon said, "I served twice as party leader and am a five-term lawmaker, the most senior in our party. Despite being party leader during the 2018 local elections, the candidates for local government heads refused to campaign in support of me. What do you think was the reason for their refusal?"

In response, Representative Hong said, "At that time, I called the inter-Korean summit a disguised peace talk. I was criticized harshly and accused of making offensive remarks, so I couldn't campaign in the local elections. But wasn't it all revealed a year later that it was indeed a disguised peace talk?"

When Yoon asked, "Did those people who refused to support you then say, 'Representative Hong was right. We are sorry'?" Hong replied, "Yes," raising his voice, "Then what was former Prosecutor General Yoon doing at that time? When I was in trouble, who among those here stepped up for the party?" Former Prosecutor General Yoon did not provide a specific answer regarding this, and the leadership debate moved on to the next candidate.

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