"From 4% to 48%, Strength Remains"… Hong Jun-pyo Indicates Persistent 'Dream of Presidency'

"Striving Toward One Korea (ONE KOREA)"
"Surrounded by Great People to Work With"

Recently, Hong Joon-pyo, the Mayor of Daegu Metropolitan City, who has been making 'candid remarks' regardless of party lines, has attracted attention by hinting at a presidential bid, saying he will "push forward toward One Korea." Although some in political circles have evaluated that "his time has passed," as he recorded a 3% approval rating among next leader candidates in an early-month poll, Mayor Hong emphasized, "I still have the strength to raise my approval rating."

On the 13th, Mayor Hong stated on his social media service (SNS), "A country where left and right unite, a country where Yeongnam and Honam unite, a country where North and South unite, I will push forward toward One Korea (ONE KOREA)."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The reason for his remarks was a monthly magazine describing him as a 'peculiar politician' and a 'lone wolf politician.' Mayor Hong said, "I'm not peculiar; I am perfectly normal, but because Korean politics operates very abnormally, I appear abnormal in reverse," adding, "It's not that I'm a lone wolf, but that I don't run in packs, and it's regrettable that this is seen as being a lone wolf." The term 'lone wolf' is slang for someone who acts alone.

He continued, "There are many excellent people working with me," and said, "I block political brokers in Yeouido and have an advisory group centered around people capable of leading the country. I hope the one-sided slander based on limited information stops." This implies that he has political forces supporting him, not acting alone.

Although he did not openly mention a presidential bid, this passage hints at his capability and willingness to challenge for the presidency. Mayor Hong has been consistently mentioned as a presidential contender within the party since the primary, but after receiving a severe 10-month suspension of party membership due to the 'flood golf incident' in July, his influence within the party has diminished, and his presidential prospects have been affected.

One piece of evidence showing that he suffered political damage from the 'flood golf incident' is the recent Gallup poll results. In June, he recorded a 5% approval rating as a next leader candidate, but in the early-month Gallup poll, it dropped to 3%. The gap with Han Dong-hoon, the Minister of Justice and the top conservative presidential candidate, widened from 6 percentage points to 9 percentage points.

On the 11th, Jo Won-jin, the leader of Uri Party for the People, said on YTN's 'News King with Park Ji-hoon,' "(Getting 3%) means that the next time is not now," adding, "The people think (Mayor Hong's) time is not now; his time has passed. Mayor Hong was disciplined by the party for the flood golf incident, but he was disciplined by the people as well."

However, Mayor Hong still emphasized that he has the potential to raise his support among the people. He said, "At the start of the last presidential primary, my public support was only 4%, but in two and a half months, I raised it to over 48.21%. That strength still exists, and that team is still here. That strength does not come from factional politics but from the people. It is not being a lone wolf but having strength because we go together."

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