Hong Joon-pyo, former Daegu mayor, criticized the People Power Party over "Shincheonji intervention allegations" that surfaced during the Democratic Party's national convention, saying it was "like a dog covered in feces scolding a dog covered in chaff."
In a post on his social networking service (SNS) on the 24th, Hong said, "When I raised the issue of Shincheonji followers intervening in intra-party elections, the People Power Party 'shut my mouth,' but now they themselves are clamoring that the Democratic Party violated the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. It is truly quite a spectacle."
He continued, "You brought Shincheonji into intra-party elections long ago, and now you say they have also joined the Democratic Party and intervened in intra-party elections. What on earth is this, staying silent all this time and then rushing forward?" He then asked, "Isn't this like a dog covered in feces scolding a dog covered in chaff?" and pointed out, "First conduct a full investigation of that party's membership rolls to root out Shincheonji and Unification Church members and expel them, then say such things. That is when the word 'shameless' should be used."
Meanwhile, the allegations of Shincheonji intervention within the Democratic Party surfaced when Kim Min-seok, former prime minister and a candidate in the party leadership race, mentioned them. Amid this, it was learned that a joint investigation headquarters examining allegations of collusion between Shincheonji and politics is investigating suspicions that the religious group had some of its followers join the Democratic Party.
