Controversy Over 'Yunshim' Arises Again Amid Hong Jun-pyo's Dismissal

Lee Jun-seok "Kim Gi-hyeon Representative Would Not Have Been Dismissed"
Denies 'Yoon's Influence' Regardless of Pro-Yoon or Non-Yoon Factions

Last month, the controversy over 'Yunsim (尹心·President Yoon Suk-yeol's intention)' that arose during the party convention has resurfaced regarding the dismissal of Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu. There are suspicions that the presidential office intervened in the process of the People Power Party removing Mayor Hong from the party's standing advisory position.

The People Power Party cited the reason for Mayor Hong's dismissal as the unprecedented case of concurrently holding the position of an incumbent local government head and a party standing advisor. On the 13th, Party Leader Kim Ki-hyun explained to reporters at the National Assembly, "In the case of standing advisors, it has been customary that no one actively serving as a politician or incumbent local government head holds the position. This was a normalization in line with that precedent."

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok indirectly criticized that Yunsim influenced this dismissal decision. On the 14th, on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' Lee said, "I don't think Leader Kim would have done it," adding, "Since Leader Kim, who is a former judge, and Floor Leader Joo Ho-young are mediators and negotiators, such cases are rare, so I suspect there might be other influences." He also added, "Leader Kim was also a spokesperson during Leader Hong's tenure, so their relationship is not bad, and above all, dismissing someone like this does not look good."

Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu. [Photo by Yonhap News]

However, many analyze that this dismissal decision is a firm demand for restraint directed at Mayor Hong, who has repeatedly voiced harsh criticism toward the party leadership. Mayor Hong has criticized the party leadership for taking a lukewarm stance on Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church, which has led to a decline in the party's approval ratings.

Within the party, both pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Suk-yeol) and non-Yoon factions deny speculations about presidential office intervention.

Supreme Council member Tae Young-ho said on the 13th afternoon on KBS Radio's 'Joo Jin-woo Live,' "(The dismissal of Mayor Hong from the standing advisory position) was neither a matter for resolution nor consultation. It is something that can be done at the party leader's discretion, and Leader Kim Ki-hyun made this decision independently."

Supreme Council member Tae added, "It is within the party leader's authority, and the standing advisory position is truly an advisory role held by those who have already left politics. However, Mayor Hong is a senior member of our party but the only standing advisor who is also a local government head, so there was a consensus that this did not align with principles."

Representative Ha Tae-kyung, considered part of the non-Yoon faction, also said, "I checked, and Yunsim did not influence this," calling it "Leader Kim's independent decision." On the 14th, on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' Ha added, "When Mayor Hong visited Haeundae Ilgwang Fisheries in my district last time, the atmosphere was good. I was there, and President Yoon was there too. Mayor Hong sat opposite me and spoke the most."

Senior four-term lawmaker Hong Moon-pyo of the same party also said, "Anyway, those who care about the party and have a deep interest do not think the dismissal was appropriate," but drew a line regarding suspicions of presidential office intervention. Representative Hong said, "(The Yunsim controversy) is just a novel. If you treat speculative stories as reality, it only makes the party's situation more difficult."

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