Is Hong Joon-pyo Betraying Conservatism? A Look at His Lunch with President Lee Jae-myung

Translation result. Conservative commentator Seo Jeong-uk on the 17th criticized former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who had a makgeolli lunch with President Lee Jae-myung, saying, “By quitting the People Power Party and endorsing Kim Boo-kyum, hasn’t he effectively surrendered to the left?” He added, “I think his chances of becoming prime minister are high.”

Seo made the remarks on YTN radio’s Kim Jun-woo’s News Face-Off, saying, “After the local elections, if Kim Min-seok becomes party leader, that possibility exists.”

He continued, “He has truly betrayed conservatives and walked away. Didn’t he serve as a conservative lawmaker about four times? He served two terms as governor, one term as mayor, twice as party leader, and even ran for president. It angers me that someone with that record would trample the conservative movement and depart.”

Seo also said, “I believe President Lee Jae-myung is mounting a TK landing operation, using Kim Boo-kyum and Hong Joon-pyo. Personally, what did Mayor Hong say? ‘Like the beauty of a reddening sunset…’. That is not the beauty of a reddening sunset; it is craven ambition, lecherousness, and an act of betrayal. That is how I view it.”