Debate between conservative presidential hopefuls dissolves into mudslinging, blame game
The debate between two presidential hopefuls vying for the ruling People Power Party's nomination held Friday transformed into a mudslinging match, as both brushed off accusations against each other as 'lies.'
Tensions escalated during a televised one-on-one debate between former People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon and ex-Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, part of the second round of the conservative party's primary.
Hong, during the debate, claimed that former President Yoon Suk Yeol had planned to name Han Dong-hoon prime minister and turn him into his 'successor,' if Han, who was the party's interim leader at the time, had led the People Power Party into victory during last year's general election. Hong claimed that Yoon informed him of such a plan during a private dinner that took place four days after the April 10 election.
Han shot back, telling him 'not to lie' and stressed that he was asked to step down as interim leader in January last year.
Hong then retorted, saying that Han's resignation 'comes later in the story.'
In January last year, ahead of the April 10 general election, Han revealed that he had rejected the presidential office's request to step down from the leadership role.
In the weeks prior to Han's announcement, there had been growing speculations and reports of a widening rift between then-President Yoon and Han, due to their contradicting views on how to deal with the scandals surrounding Yoon's wife, ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Following the ruling party's defeat in the general election, in which the Democratic Party secured a majority of the 300 seats in the National Assembly, Han was often criticized by the pro-Yoon faction as the main reason behind the conservative bloc's loss.
Han later stepped down in December 2024, citing difficulties tied to growing internal strife within the ruling party after the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon over his failed Dec. 3 martial law bid.
The two candidates also blamed each other for failing to prevent Yoon's martial law declaration.
At one point, Hong took a jab at Han, saying that if he were the leader of the ruling party at the time, both 'the martial law and the impeachment' would not have happened. The ex-Daegu Mayor added that the leader of the ruling party must cooperate with the president, highlighting Han's rift with Yoon at the time.
In response, Han said that 'someone like Hong, who continued to shower the (former) president with flattery as he stood next to him, has responsibility over martial law.'
Hong and Han are two of the four remaining candidates in the People Power Party's primary race for the June 3 election, after the field was narrowed from eight earlier this week.
According to a Gallup Korea survey released Friday, asking respondents about their favorite potential future president, former Democratic Party of Korea Chair Lee Jae-myung led with an overwhelming 38 percent. Han trailed behind with 8 percent, while Hong came in at No. 3 with 7 percent. Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, both received support of 6 percent. The poll involved 1,005 respondents aged 18 or older and was conducted from Tuesday to Thursday.
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