Hong Joon-pyo returns home to vie for conservative leadership

Former Liberty Korea Party presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo has returned to Seoul on Sunday, apparently with an eye on the now-opposition party’s leadership race.

Dubbed as “Hong Trump” for his outspoken rhetoric and hardline conservative remarks, Hong took 24 percent of the vote in the May 9 presidential election, finishing second after President Moon Jae-in. 

Since the election, the conservative hardliner has stayed in the US for 23 days, during which he did not hide his intention to vie for the leadership of the Liberty Korea Party which controls 107 seats of the currently 299-member parliament.

“A sweeping party reform is a must to regain people’s trust,” Hong posted on Facebook before heading back home.

The Liberty Korea Party, which has been the “ruling party” for the last decade, is suffering from dwindling public support. A recent poll put its support rating at just 8 percent, the lowest in its history, on par with two much smaller parties – People’s Party with 40 seats and Bareun Party with 20 seats.

Hong, while in the US, has vowed to rebuild Liberty Korea Party with a powerful leadership system. The party’s national convention and leadership contest is slated for July 3.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)