Hong Jun-pyo, the former mayor of Daegu, criticized the political landscape on August 29, stating, "The nation's system is collapsing."
In a Facebook post, Hong asserted that the ruling party is dismantling the prosecution, creating loyal investigative agencies, and expanding the number of Supreme Court justices to seize control of the judiciary, likening it to the actions of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.
He added, "They are even undermining the Chief Justice's constitutional authority to recommend justices. The Constitutional Court has been taken over, and the National Assembly is already under their control." He also mentioned that soldiers following orders are being imprisoned.
Hong pointed out that the opposition party is more focused on preserving the interests of the entrenched elite rather than engaging in meaningful political struggle against the ruling party.
He emphasized, "The ignorant conservative factions are scattered and at odds with each other, spending their time in a period where destruction and dismantling are disguised as reform." He questioned, "Is this really the time for such division, especially given the challenging international environment?"
Meanwhile, recent political debates have erupted over allegations regarding Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's sudden recommendation of Supreme Court candidates. The Democratic Party is pressuring Cho to appear before the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, while Jang Dong-hyuk, the leader of the People Power Party, warned the Blue House that he would fight bare-chested for the impeachment of President Lee Jae-myung and the resumption of trials for him.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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