"Shincheonji Interfered in People Power Primary to Support Yoon?"... Hong Joon-pyo Says "Justice Will Prevail"

Hong Jun-pyo "Knew right after primary... Now it's too late"
Shincheonji Defector "Lee Man-hee said he must repay Yoon's kindness"

Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate (left), and Hong Joon-pyo, a 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, stated that he "knew it long ago" regarding the suspicion that Shincheonji members intervened in the recent People Power Party presidential primary to support Yoon Seok-yeol, the party's presidential candidate, but added, "Still, losing is losing."

On the 11th, Hong responded to supporters' questions about the suspicion on his online youth platform 'Youth's Dream,' saying, "This is not the first time Shincheonji has intervened."

When asked, "Why didn't you raise the issue at the time?" he replied, "I found out right after the primary," adding, "Now it's too late."

One commenter expressed regret, saying, "The People Power Party primary seems to have become a playground for cults like shamanism and Shincheonji," and asked, "How can such a strange case of winning happen?"

In response, Hong calmly said, "Still, losing is losing."

Although he did not specify a particular opponent, he said, "I have an idea who led it," and added, "But the game is over." He also said, "Sin returns as it is committed."

Earlier, NoCut News reported an interview with a former Shincheonji official who defected, stating that Shincheonji instructed district leaders and higher officials to join the People Power Party starting in July last year, when the preliminary registration for presidential candidates began, to support Yoon.

The defector, Mr. A, said in the interview, "When Chairman Lee Man-hee was (detained), he wrote a letter saying that someone helped me," and claimed, "That person was Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, and since he was able to come out thanks to him, we thought we should repay the favor by joining the People Power Party."

Meanwhile, Yoon was elected as the People Power Party's presidential candidate at the party convention held on November 5 last year, receiving a final vote share of 47.85% (307,963 votes). Hong recorded 41.50%.

Yoon received 57.77% (210,034 votes) in the party member vote and 37.9375% (137,929 votes) in the public opinion poll. In contrast, Hong received 34.8% (126,519 votes) in the party member vote and 48.2075% (175,267 votes) in the public opinion poll.

Yoon led by 24 percentage points in the party member vote, but Hong led by 10 percentage points in the public opinion poll.

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