Lee Jun-seok: "'Sonbadak Wang (King)', 'Red Underwear' and Other Intra-Party Debates Are Regrettable... A Situation with No Gains"

Lee Jun-seok "Approval Rating Drop Occurs When Public Disappointment Passes Threshold... Yoon's Recent Controversies Are Visible but Ineffective"

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, expressed frustration over the party's presidential primary being marred by controversies such as the 'Sonbadak Wang (王)' and 'red underwear' incidents, saying, "As party leader, I feel disappointed. Neither the side raising the issues nor the side explaining them gains anything from the situation."

On the afternoon of the 7th, during YTN Radio's 'Lee Dong-hyung's News Face-off,' Lee commented on the recent atmosphere of the People Power Party's presidential primary, which seemed engulfed by former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl's 'Sonbadak Wang' and 'fortune teller' controversies, stating, "As party leader, I find the way the primary is unfolding to be frustrating."

He continued, "Unlike the early stages where competition was based on candidates' visions and policies, as the second round of the primary nears its conclusion, there have been harsh debates, and the situation where neither the side raising issues nor the side explaining them benefits has persisted."

He then pointed out, "Controversies over the Wang (王) character, name changes, and red underwear are matters where I hope everyone exercises some restraint."

Recently, People Power Party presidential candidates have focused on personal attacks during debates. At a debate, Yoon, who attended with the character 'Wang' written on his palm, was criticized by rival candidate Hong Joon-pyo, who asked, "Is a shaman involved?"

In response, Yoon countered Hong by saying, "There are rumors about some people even wearing red underwear."

Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, during the party's 6th TV debate on the 4th, mentioned the names of fortune tellers such as 'Cheongong Sunim,' 'Jijang Sunim,' 'Lee Byung-hwan,' and 'Noh Byung-han,' questioning Yoon about his connections with them. Yoon replied regarding Cheongong Sunim, "I know him, but claims of him being a mentor are exaggerated."

Regarding why Yoon's approval ratings have not dropped despite the controversies, Lee explained, "Approval ratings drop only when public disappointment surpasses a critical point. Recent controversies are visibility issues, so their impact has been limited."

Meanwhile, Lee asserted, "The primary has definitely been more successful in generating interest compared to the ruling party. There are statistics showing a surge in party membership on the days before and after TV debates," adding, "With nearly 50% voter turnout at the point of practically concluding the second round of voting, the primary has been quite successful in terms of engagement."

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