Tensions escalated as candidates Hong Joon-pyo and Han Dong-hoon engaged in a war of nerves during the People Power Party presidential primary debate held on the 20th.

Lee Cheol-woo (from left), Na Kyung-won, Hong Joon-pyo, and Han Dong-hoon, candidates for the presidential primary of the People Power Party, are taking a commemorative photo at the first primary debate for Group B held at ASSA Art Hall in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of Jan. 20./News1

On that day, Hong asked Han, "I am your political senior. No matter what you ask, don't take it the wrong way," and added, "There was a question about why a tall person would wear elevated shoes."

In response, Han said, "Seeing that kind of question makes me think you're not a young person."

Soon, Hong remarked, "There was also a question about whether my hair is natural or if I wear corrective underwear, but it’s so childish that I won’t ask it." To which Han replied, "That's childish."

Hong stated, "The purpose of this primary is to select someone who can take down Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate," and questioned, "When you were the Minister of Justice, you failed to imprison this candidate and faced a judicial defeat, and when you were the chair of the People Power Party emergency countermeasure committee, you suffered a major defeat in the general election. What will you do this time?"

In response, Han countered, "I passed the arrest consent motion regarding that candidate even in a minority government situation, and although I lost the general election, I was elected as party leader with a 63% approval rating afterward, which spoke for itself."

He added, "The one who can openly talk about the martial law and overcome both former President Yoon Suk-yeol and candidate Lee Jae-myung is the one who can win this election. I believe that person is me."

Additionally, during the debate, a 'balance game' segment was conducted after the main debate where the candidates had to choose between two better options.

"If you had to choose between becoming a cockroach or a car tire, which would you choose?" Han chose "cockroach," saying, "(Living) might be better than inanimate objects."

Hong responded, "I don't want to be either. I don’t want to be reborn as either. There’s no chance of rebirth anyway. So I don't want either."

Candidate Na Kyung-won said, "I don’t want to answer much," while Lee Jae-myung noted, "A car tire would be more helpful to the world than cockroaches."

When the host asked, "If you must choose one to hire as a lawyer between a prosecutor impersonator and an exam fraudster, who would you choose?" Na Kyung-won and Han Dong-hoon chose the prosecutor impersonator, while Lee Cheol-woo selected the exam fraudster.

Han explained, "The exam fraudster is already in prison, so that person can't defend himself," clarifying why he chose the prosecutor impersonator.

Na stated, "The prosecutor impersonator seems very skilled at deceiving people," and added, "I want to say one thing to candidate Lee Jae-myung: If you’re going to talk about growth, pass the semiconductor special law."

Hong remarked, "I don't want to choose either."