Hong Joon-pyo: "I Rejected the Offer to Work at the Blue House During Late President Jeon Du-hwan's Era... Did Not Succumb to Temptation"

"Possible to Investigate 5th Republic Corruption as No Debt Was Incurred"

Hong Joon-pyo, member of the People Power Party. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Hong Joon-pyo, a member of the People Power Party, shared stories related to the late former President Jeon Du-hwan, whose hometown was a neighboring town to his own.

On the 23rd, Hong responded on his online communication platform 'Youth's Dream' Q&A corner to the question, "What kind of person was Jeon Du-hwan? Please give your assessment," saying, "My second hometown is Hapcheon, and the former president was from a neighboring town."

He continued, "In 1986, when I was a rookie prosecutor at Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office, Jeon Kyung-hwan, the Saemaul Movement Secretary General and younger brother of former President Jeon Du-hwan, once offered me a position as a prosecutor dispatched to the Blue House and told me to come find him," recalling, "but I declined."

He added, "Thanks to the connection with the former president's hometown, I could have entered the Blue House, but I did not succumb to the temptation," and said, "Because I refused at that time, in November 1988, I was able to investigate the Noryangjin Fish Market robbery case during the 5th Republic corruption scandal. Since I owed nothing to former President Jeon, I was able to handle cases related to Jeon Gi-hwan, the former president's elder brother."

Previously, Hong gained attention after being demoted following his investigation and indictment of Jeon Gi-hwan and others in the Noryangjin Fish Market robbery case while serving as a special prosecutor at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office in 1988.

Meanwhile, former President Jeon, who had been suffering from chronic illness, passed away around 8:40 a.m. at his residence in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the same day. The funeral for former President Jeon Du-hwan will be held as a family funeral.

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