Lee Jun-seok, Tom and Jerry with Hong Jun-pyo? ... Hong "Picking on words and talking back"

Lee "Trying to be Tom and Jerry with Hong"
"Highly valued conservative talent" but attitude changed

Chilly relations have been detected between Hong Jun-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, and Lee Jun-seok, former leader of the People Power Party.

On the 13th, Mayor Hong criticized Lee in 'Youth's Dream,' saying, "I gave him kind words, but it is regrettable that he absurdly nitpicked and argued back," adding, "I didn't think much of him before, but he is someone to be cautious of from now on."

Mayor Hong stated, "I am the only one from our party who has been elected three consecutive times in the northeastern region like Nowon," and also said, "I received the nomination for Daegu mayor through fierce primaries against Yoo Young-ha, who supported former President Park Geun-hye, and Kim Jae-won, who supported President-elect Yoon Seok-youl."

This appears to be a rebuttal to Lee's statement the previous day that "If Mayor Hong Jun-pyo runs in Seoul Nowon-byeong, he will not be elected." On the 12th, Lee said on KBS's 'The Live,' "I originally planned to play Tom and Jerry with Ahn Cheol-soo, a People Power Party lawmaker, but now I want to try Tom and Jerry with Mayor Hong as well."

Lee said, "Mayor Hong should not run in Nowon-byeong. If I get the nomination and run for Daegu mayor, I will win, but if Mayor Hong runs in Nowon-byeong, he will not win." Lee ran three times in Nowon-byeong (2016 general election, 2018 by-election, 2020 general election) but was defeated each time.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Previously, Mayor Hong had highly praised Lee as a "conservative talent." On the 12th, he pointed out on Facebook, "I wonder how he failed three times in his own elections," but also comforted him by saying, "This time, he has gained experience, so I believe he will succeed. From now on, he should return from being a commentator to the former leader of our party."

The two also shared a drink together at the '2023 Daegu Chimaek Festival' held in Daegu at the end of August.

On August 30th, Mayor Hong wrote on Facebook, "Lee Jun-seok said he would come to the festival, so I gladly invited him," adding, "Still, he was the leader of our party and the vanguard of regime change, so I wonder if it is right to treat him so coldly."

He continued, "He is partly at fault, but to push him away and treat him coldly like that is a bit much," and said, "Politics is truly ruthless."

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