Hong Joon-pyo's 'Tumor' Targeted Post Met with Kim Sang-wook's Retort, "Who Is the Cancerous Lump?"

"No Partisan Logic Should Intervene in the Impeachment Process"

Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo called Kim Sang-wook, a member of the People Power Party (representing Ulsan Namgap), a "tumor," to which Kim retaliated by calling Mayor Hong a "sinner of history."

Kim Sang-wook, member of the People Power Party. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On the 29th, Kim posted on his Facebook, "Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo said yesterday that Jo Kyung-tae, Kim Ye-ji, and Kim Sang-wook should be expelled, claiming that tumors do not become flesh," adding, "I felt great regret and concern over Mayor Hong's provocative post, which I saw as misleading the public."

He stated, "The December 3rd insurrection is essentially a clash between democracy and anti-democratic dictatorship, not a fight between conservatives and progressives," and emphasized, "Factional logic must not interfere with follow-up resolutions such as impeachment procedures." He further criticized, "Our party is sick. A cancerous mass of far-right elements has grown, and there is a nostalgic longing for dictatorship, labeling opponents as communists, creating a totalitarian, authoritarian, and exclusionary atmosphere."

He continued, "One must not exploit the people's pain and the nation's difficulties for political gain and use them as tools for political strife," adding, "It seems the ruling party, opposition parties, and even Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo are all guilty of this." He said, "Mayor Hong appears to be using the people's and nation's hardships not to solve them but to fulfill his political ambitions," and questioned, "Who is the real cancerous mass?"

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo is giving a greeting at the 'Park Chung-hee Statue Unveiling Ceremony' held at Dongdaegu Station Plaza on the afternoon of the 23rd. Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, Mayor Hong wrote on his Facebook, "It reminds me of a poison toad provoking a snake to eat it," and asked, "Shouldn't Jo Kyung-tae, Kim Sang-wook, and Kim Ye-ji be disciplined promptly?" He stated, "Proportional representatives should have their party membership suspended for three years, and constituency representatives should also have their party membership suspended for three years so that they leave voluntarily or be expelled," adding, "It doesn't matter whether it's 108 or 105 members; there's no reason to hesitate." He continued, "Only by uniting as a single front can we overcome difficulties, so let's shake off the gray elements that disrupt our ranks," emphasizing, "Tumors do not become flesh."

The lawmakers targeted by Mayor Hong opposed the party's stance of non-participation and participated in the vote on the selection of three Constitutional Court justice candidates?Ma Eun-hyuk, Jeong Gye-seon, and Jo Han-chang?on the 26th. On the 27th, Jo was the only member to oppose the party line and participate in the vote on the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Deok-soo, which was proposed the previous day by the six opposition parties including the Democratic Party, casting a vote in favor.

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