People Power Party Presidential Candidates Have a Hard Time Answering Some Tough Questions

[경향신문]

During the People Signal Interview for the People Power Party presidential primary held at KIN Studio in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul on September 9, Hong Joon-pyo (left), who took part as a candidate, and interviewer Chin Jung-kwon, former professor at Dongyang University, appear on the screen. National Assembly press photographers

On September 9, presidential candidates of the People Power Party sat for a “stress interview.” The event, People Signal Interview, was organized by the party’s election commission. Six of the twelve presidential candidates, Jang Seong-min, Jang Gi-pyo, Bak Chan-ju, Choe Jae-hyeong, Yoo Seong-min and Hong Joon-pyo, appeared one at a time, each answering questions for 22 minutes. Chin Jung-kwon, formerly a professor at Dongyang University; Kim Joon-il, CEO of Newstof; and Park Sun-young, a professor at Dongguk University launched sharp questions. Unlike previous “vision presentations,” which were criticized as a school talent show, the interviews were tense, with candidates complaining that the interviewers “were twisted because they were leftist to the bones,” and that they “had a hard time.”

During the interview, held at a studio in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul this day, the interviewers and candidates exchanged sharp questions and answers.

Hong Joon-pyo was bombarded with questions about his controversial comments slighting women in the past. Kim Joon-il asked, “You have strong support among ‘2030’ males, but women do not support you. Isn’t it because of the memories of your comments disparaging women, such as the ‘pig aphrodisiac’?” Hong answered, “Yes,” making everyone burst into laughter. But the interviewer mentioned how Hong had described Ryu Yeo-hae, a former Supreme Council member of the Liberty Korea Party (the current People Power Party), as the “hostess of a tavern,” and former Liberty Korea Party floor leader Na Kyung-won as “a candidate who just looked in the mirror and powered herself” and asked whether these comments were not sexual harassment. Hong refuted, “I will accept the criticism that they were reckless, but I was not sexually harassing them.” When Chin mentioned how Hong shut down the Jinju Medical Center when he served as the governor of Gyeongsangnam-do and asked him whether that was the reason why the number of people per hospital bed in the Gyeongsangnam-do region was over 400, much higher than the national average of 170, Hong said, “Anyone who argues that the Jinju Medical Center was a mistake is an extreme leftist and they will never vote for me.”

Former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min had to answer tenacious questions about his pledge to shut down the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. When Chin asked, “Aren’t you, along with party leader Lee Jun-seok and lawmaker Ha Tae-keung, pledging to close the gender ministry to push an anti-feminist drive? Have you ever asked the views of ‘2030’ women?” Yoo answered, “My wish is to abolish a gender ministry that does nothing for true gender equality and realize true equality between the sexes by creating a gender equality committee answering directly to the president.” Kim followed with the question, “Do you think G7 countries are crazy to have gender ministries and ministers? This raises questions about whether you are trying to take advantage of the anti-feminist movement.” Yoo said, “I have been pledging this since four years ago, when there were no gender conflicts,” and added, “Watch me, when I become president, and see how sincere an effort I make for gender equality.” When an interviewer pointed out that Yoo had the image of a traitor for betraying former president Park Geun-hye, Yoo said, “Honestly, I think that is unfair,” and added, “I believe they (conservatives in the Yeongnam region) can change their minds.”

Former chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, Choe Jae-hyeong received questions, such as, “Isn’t it a little too patriarchal to have your son and daughter-in-law sing the national anthem?” and “We expected you to appeal to the moderates, but your pledges are actually ultra-right. They tend to be so market fundamentalist that they even seem extreme.” Choe replied to the questions respectively saying, “I’d like you to see it as my love for the country rather than as patriarchy,” and “I’d like to you understand that I’m promising a small but effective government that can adapt well to social change.” Chin described our business environment as a “structure where large companies exploit SMEs by slashing unit costs,” and argued, “I can’t understand you suggesting more work for temporary agency workers.” Choe answered, “I will firmly handle any measures that violate the law.” But when Chin mentioned that businesses used expedient measures to escape the law, Choe failed to make a proper response.

In a meeting with journalists after the interview, Hong expressed his discomfort at the interview questions saying, “He was all twisted because he was leftist to the bones.” Yoo also complained, “I announced a number of pledges. It was ridiculous how they wasted all the time on the gender ministry alone.” As for Chin, he said, “He is a man who publicly supported former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. I can’t see why the election commission invited him as an interviewer.”

On September 10, the remaining six candidates, Hwang Kyo-ahn, Yoon Seok-youl, Park Jin, Ahn Sang-soo, Ha Tae-keung, and Won Hee-ryong will sit for the “stress interview.”