Hong Joon-pyo: "Me Supporting Lee Jun-seok's New Party? Ridiculous Slander"

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok has sparked controversy by suggesting that Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo might support the formation of a new party centered around the Yeongnam region. In response, Mayor Hong vehemently denied the speculation, calling it "baseless slander."

On the 9th, Mayor Hong stated on his social media platform, "I hope people stop writing such fiction."

Hong Jun-pyo, a member of the People Power Party, is speaking at the JP Hope Camp closing ceremony held on the 8th at BNB Tower in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

That day, the Chosun Ilbo quoted a ruling party official predicting that Mayor Hong could take on the role of organizing the pro-Yoon (친윤) faction within Lee Jun-seok's new party. However, Mayor Hong rebutted, calling it a "typical Chosun Ilbo speculative article," and said, "If Lee Jun-seok's new party emerges, would I support it? Such an idea is typical of the Chosun Ilbo."

He added, "For over 30 years, I have never once stepped away from this party. During Hwang Kyo-ahn's (former Future United Party leader) time, I was not the one who left but was temporarily pushed out by former leader Hwang. Even though the party never did anything for me, I have never once betrayed it," and raised his voice, saying, "In more than ten elections, I did not rely on the party's power but solely on my own strength."

Meanwhile, on the same day, former leader Lee, during his visit to Daegu, told reporters regarding questions about running in Daegu, "A (new) party is not something one does alone, so if there is a request for me to play such a role, I will not avoid it simply because it is difficult."

He also commented on Mayor Hong's remark to Innovation Committee Chairman In Yo-han that "if Lee Jun-seok forms a new party, Representative Kim Ki-hyun will become prey," calling it "an appropriate critique from a party elder." He criticized, "Although Mayor Hong has spoken frankly to the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, what he received in return was dismissal from the position of permanent advisor and disciplinary actions including suspension of party membership as attempts to silence him."

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