Conservative firebrand calls frontrunner Lee Jae-myung a 'thug' and Han Dong-hoon a 'narcissist'
South Korean presidential contender Hong Joon-pyo, a senior figure in the conservative People Power Party, has drawn fresh attention with a sharp-tongued, satirical appearance on "SNL Korea," taking direct aim at top rivals Lee Jae-myung and Han Dong-hoon ahead of the country’s critical June 3 election.
In Saturday's episode of the comedy sketch show in its seventh season, via streaming platform Coupang Play, the former Daegu mayor appears dressed as a convenience store job applicant.
The segment gave Hong a stage to fire off barbed comments about leading candidates in a format that blended political parody with pointed critique.
When asked about former Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung, Hong didn’t hold back. “He’s a 'yangachi,'” he said, using a Korean slang term that roughly translates to “thug” or “delinquent,” often used to describe someone seen as unscrupulous or morally corrupt.
Hong also mocked Lee’s reaction to a resurfaced video clip from September 2024, in which Hong had said, “A party that gets impeached must give up on the next presidential election.” The clip was played during a Democratic Party leadership meeting on April 7, where Lee was seen laughing.
Hong, clarifying the intent of his comment, said, “That was a warning to Yoon (Suk Yeol) and Han (Dong-hoon) not to fight and get impeached. If Lee thought I meant that literally, then he just doesn’t get it. That’s why I said he’s not very smart.”
Hong did not spare those in his own conservative camp either. He criticized former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, calling him a once “pure” figure who has “grown murkier,” and labeled former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon as a “narcissist.”
On economic policy, Hong also weighed in on South Korea’s current minimum wage — at 10,030 won ($7) an hour -- “It’s too high,” he said. “Small business owners can’t keep up unless the whole family pitches in.”
Hong is expected to officially announce his campaign Monday in Seoul.
mjh@heraldcorp.com
