People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok [Newsis]
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok [Newsis]

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, who recently returned to work after being hospitalized for exhaustion, has been drawing attention with a series of pointed public statements.

In a Facebook post Friday, Jang criticized Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, saying Lee "is clinging to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to prop up share prices, exports and the growth rate," and that Lee appeared ready to "hand over even the Democratic Party leadership election to Samsung and Hynix."

Jang said Lee had summoned the chairmen of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix and pressured them to build a semiconductor cluster in the Honam region, characterizing the move as Lee telling the region: "I'll give you semiconductors — just make sure Jung Chung-rae loses."

He went on to say it was "truly a shame" that the semiconductor industry had "barely begun to see the light after weathering difficult years" only to be "picked apart," and lamented that Lee was "wielding the semiconductor industry — on which the future of South Korea's economy depends — carelessly, like a worn-out sword, throwing it around wherever it suits him."


husn7@heraldcorp.com