Hong Jun-pyo Lectures at Conservative Forum 'Saemijun'... Is He Trying to Check Han Dong-hoon?

Lecture on "Advanced Nations" Topic at Regular Seminar
"Emphasizing the Need to Strengthen Party's Self-Sustaining Power"

Hong Jun-pyo, the mayor of Daegu, will give a lecture at 5 p.m. on the 29th at the Air Force Hotel in Daebang-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. He will deliver a special lecture titled "Let's Move Toward an Advanced Nation!" at the regular seminar of the conservative forum "Meeting to Prepare a New Future (Saemijun, Chairman Lee Young-soo)." Given his recent criticism of former People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon and his emphasis on strengthening the party's self-sustainability, it is expected that his lecture will address these issues.

Mayor Hong Joon-pyo of Daegu. / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

Chairman Lee Young-soo said in a phone call that day, "We asked Mayor Hong to give a lecture based on the content he recently shared on Facebook," adding, "It is a call to whip the silent Yeouido, ruling party lawmakers, and the political circle to move and regain vitality." Founded in 1997, Saemijun played the role of the largest pro-Yoon external organization by managing part of then-presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl's campaign during the last presidential election. Key party figures such as Kwon Seong-dong, Yoon Jae-ok, and Lee Cheol-gyu attended the charity concert held at the end of last year.

Attention is focused on what message Mayor Hong will deliver in his lecture, especially as he has recently strongly criticized former Chairman Han. It is reported that Han recently advocated for the revival of the district party system at a meeting of newly elected and defeated lawmakers. The proposal is to establish an official subordinate organization of the party that can operate by having offices in each constituency and receiving donations. This has been interpreted as an attempt by Han, who is currently outside the National Assembly, to gather support for a bid for party leadership.

Mayor Hong opposes former Chairman Han's challenge for party leadership and insists that the party leader should come from within the National Assembly. On the 24th, Hong referred to Han as a "mysterious 갑툭튀 (sudden appearance)" on his Facebook, stating, "If there is no suitable candidate within the party, it is one thing, but if we again accept someone who ruined the general election as an elected official, this party has no future." In this way, Mayor Hong has been continuously voicing harsh criticism toward the party. On the 26th, he mentioned "President Yoon's grave decision" and warned that the People Power Party must develop self-sustainability. Through his Facebook, he emphasized, "As the ruling party, if the People Power Party becomes one with President Yoon but fails to protect him and acts in a disorganized and fragmented manner, President Yoon will have no choice."

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