Hong Joon-pyo, former mayor of Daegu, stated on the 7th that the 'candidate replacement' commotion caused by the People Power Party during the presidential primary could be grounds for party dissolution.
On this day, former Mayor Hong wrote on Facebook, 'The candidate forced replacement incident you caused is an anti-democratic act of coercion of duties and could be grounds for party dissolution,' adding, 'If indicted, you will be forcibly expelled from the political world.'
Previously, the People Power Party elected Kim Moon-soo, former Minister of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, as the presidential candidate through the primary process. However, the party leadership attempted to strip Kim of his candidacy status and finalize Han Duck-soo, former Prime Minister, as the presidential candidate. Nevertheless, this proposal was rejected in the party member vote, leading to Kim becoming the candidate, while Han announced he would not run.
Former Mayor Hong remarked, 'Did they commit such an act in collusion with former President Yoon, not knowing the gravity of their crime?' and added, 'All of you involved in this act and Han Duck-soo's nomination group will be punished.' He continued, 'No matter how much you scrutinize, you won't find anything on me, so stop defaming me,' and added, 'Bow your head and make an apology in penance.'
He also said, 'The political prosecutors among you have ruined the country, the party, and even the conservative faction.' The term political prosecutors is interpreted to refer to some party figures with prosecutorial backgrounds, including former President Yoon. On the 5th, former Mayor Hong also claimed, 'Another fraudulent primary was carried out through the joint efforts of the political prosecutor-origin members.'