Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo warned against reading too much into his remark about former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum potentially running for Daegu mayor.
On the 25th, Hong posted on Facebook, saying he and Kim were close during their time together in the Hannara Party and that their relationship has not changed since Kim joined the Democratic Party.
He said he was merely responding to a question from a member of his online channel Youth’s Dream who expressed hope that Kim would step forward, and he reiterated that, having retired from active politics, he will not be involved in the local election.
Hong also expressed concern about the region’s future, saying Daegu appears to be on a path of decline and warning it could face serious setbacks unless the planned TK airport project and new industry investment materialize.
He criticized young people’s self-deprecating joke calling Daegu “Gotham City” and said the notion that the People Power Party would win simply by “planting a flag” shows how out of touch some politicians are with citizens’ desperation. He added that he hopes Daegu can once again rise to become one of the peninsula’s three leading cities.
Earlier on his Youth’s Dream channel, Hong answered a question from a Kim supporter, saying Daegu needs support from the Lee Jae-myung administration to make a leap forward and adding that he hoped Kim would step up. Those comments ignited controversy in political circles.
The Daegu mayoral seat is currently vacant. After cutting candidates Joo Ho-young and Lee Jin-sook, the People Power Party advanced six nominees to the primary: Yoon Jae-ok, Choo Kyung-ho, Choi Eun-seok, Yoo Young-ha, former Dong-gu Mayor Lee Jae-man, and former lawmaker Hong Seok-joon. The party has faced mounting internal conflict over accusations that it excluded senior figures and favored a particular faction in its nominations.
Political observers are closely watching whether former Prime Minister Kim will enter the race. The Democratic Party has urged him to decide, and Secretary-General Cho Seung-rae said the matter should be resolved within the week.
