Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo is continuing to escalate his criticism toward independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon.

On the 8th, the former mayor posted a message on his social media directly attacking Rep. Han. He stated, "Chief Editorial Writer Jung Gye-jae referred to Han Dong-hoon as a cheap prosecutor," and added, "The family-run media praised that cheap prosecutor as the Chosun's Top Prosecutor. I called him the Chosun's Top Gum."

He then took aim at Rep. Han, saying, "A prosecutor lives for justice and dies for justice. But he lived for power and died for power." He also claimed, "He was the chief culprit who, together with former President Yoon Suk-yeol, shut down 80 years of prosecutorial history," attributing responsibility for the prosecution organization's current crisis to former President Yoon and Rep. Han.

■ Preemptive Criticism Targeting the Party Member Bulletin Opinion Rigging Incident

Prior to this criticism, last month the former mayor used his Facebook to post a message targeting Rep. Han in connection with the People Power Party's party member bulletin opinion rigging incident. At the time, he warned, "If the person who orchestrated the flower wreath spectacle on the walls of the Seocho-dong prosecutors' building to manipulate public opinion, then moved on to rig public opinion on the party member bulletin after being kicked out of a moms' community when caught, operates behind the scenes, the country will fall into even greater chaos."

He also emphasized, "Kim Keon-hee alone is enough as someone who has driven the country into confusion," and stressed, "The phenomenon of a second Kim Keon-hee-like figure disrupting the country must never be repeated." These remarks were interpreted as directly targeting Rep. Han, who was expelled from the party.

■ Criticism Also Leveled at Rep. Han's Supporters

The former mayor also directed his attacks at those who support Rep. Han. He declared, "Seeing the lemmings who blindly follow such a person, they are truly pitiful and foolish people."

Finally, he concluded his post by emphasizing, "Korean society must never again become a world where such a cheap prosecutor can run wild."