Former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo. [Yonhap]
Former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo. [Yonhap]

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo criticized former President Park Geun-hye for her recent contacts with conservative politicians, saying her involvement does not benefit the conservative camp.

In a social media post Thursday, Hong said that while he had erected a commemorative statue of former President Park Chung-hee during his tenure as Daegu mayor, he had deliberately not invited Park Geun-hye to the unveiling ceremony and had never once visited her private residence. "That is because I believed she became president on the strength of Park Chung-hee's legacy, not on her own presidential qualities," he wrote.

He added that Park Geun-hye's downfall should not be explained simply as her being a victim of partisan politics. "I see it as the collapse of image politics," he said.

Hong then said he still occasionally sees politicians following the same path — image politics — as Park Geun-hye. "As a former president who has endured great hardship, I hope she can now step away from the scene of conflict and spend her remaining years in peace," he said.

Hong had also weighed in Wednesday, criticizing People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik for visiting Park's private residence in Dalseong, Daegu, the previous day. "I suspect it is driven by a desire for party leadership," Hong said. "It is truly disheartening to see how long the conservative party will keep dancing in Park Geun-hye's shadow."


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