Hong Joon-pyo intensifies ideological attack on Moon

By Kim Bo-eun

Main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LPK) leader Hong Joon-pyo stepped up his ideological attack on President Moon Jae-in and his administration, Monday, claiming Moon’s “leftist government” is putting the nation at risk.

“The reason for all the confusion and regression Korean society is undergoing is the Moon administration’s leftism,” Hong said during a press conference. “Leftism is destroying Korea.”

His remarks come at a time when tension is easing on the Korean Peninsula, with the Koreas working out details for the North’s participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics next month.

The North and South agreed for their athletes to make a joint entrance under a flag bearing a unified Korean Peninsula and to field a joint women’s ice hockey team.

However, Hong referred to the inter-Korean team as “a result of typical nationalism which calls for individuals to sacrifice to the nation.”

The organization of a joint team created much controversy, as there are concerns South Korean players who have trained for the Olympics may have to give up their positions to their counterparts from the North.

Rep. Na Kyung-won of the LPK stated Saturday that she had sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee, opposing the organization of an inter-Korean team.

“Holding an event at Mount Geumgang and hosting the Olympic Games without the Taegeukgi without hearing public opinion is a result of nationalism,” Hong said.

The conservative LPK and the liberal Moon administration are at polar ends over how to deal with North Korea.

While Moon supports a policy of engagement and reconciliation toward Pyongyang, the LPK maintains a hard-line stance is necessary.

“Moon is being dragged along by Kim Jong-un’s disguised attempts to achieve peace and making the PyeongChang Olympics into the Pyongyang Olympics,” Hong said.

Hong also slammed the Moon administration’s drive to revise the Constitution, calling it “efforts for leftist socialist revisions to the Constitution.”

He strongly stated his opposition to the government’s plan to conduct a referendum on constitutional revision on the day of the local elections held in June.

The LPK is opposed to the government’s inclination toward revising the presidential term to a four-year, two-term presidency.

Hong went on the offensive in the LPK for the upcoming local elections.

He referred to the elections as “an election that will protect the public’s lives from the Moon administration’s leftism.”

“The Moon administration’s drive to root out social evils is a means to eradicate conservatives,” he said.