Hong Joon-pyo Meets Yoon Seok-youl, "I Will Join the Election Campaign as a Senior Advisor If Two Issues Are Resolved"

[경향신문]

A post written by People Power Party lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo on his communication platform, Youth Dream, on January 19. Captured from Youth Dream

On January 19, People Power Party lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo announced that he would join the election campaign of the party’s presidential candidate, Yoon Seok-youl, under a couple of conditions.

This day, Hong wrote on his communication platform, Youth Dream, and said, “While having dinner with Yoon for two and a half hours this evening, I made two requests,” and added, “If these two issues are resolved, I will join the election campaign as a senior advisor.” He went on to describe his two requests. “First, I would like him to take measures that can guarantee his ability to manage state affairs and ease the public’s concern. Second, I would like him to declare to the nation stern legal action against the corruption in his wife’s family.”

The lawmaker met Yoon Seok-youl at a restaurant in Seoul this day. He told the reporter over the phone that on the previous day, January 18, Yoon personally called him and suggested that the two have dinner together this week. Hong told Yoon that he had to go to Daegu (Hong’s constituency) this weekend and suggested that the two men meet on Wednesday (Jan. 19).

Even before their meeting, people expected the two men to exchange views on the overall election strategy. This day, in a phone conversation with Yonhap News, Hong said, “We will have to unite under a single candidate to compete in the upcoming presidential election.” He stressed, “How we arrange the race now is important.” His words hinted at discussions covering a wide range of issues including a possible integration with Ahn Cheol-soo, the candidate of the People’s Party.

Originally, the two men were expected to meet at a restaurant in Songpa-gu, Seoul, but they changed the location in the evening. Hong told the reporter over the phone, “The two of us needed to engage in an honest conversation over a quiet dinner, but we can’t talk if there are reporters present,” and explained the reason for changing restaurants.