Hong Joon-pyo

While Mayor of Daegu, Hong played golf during a period of torrential rain that caused numerous deaths. Following a strong backlash, he apologised, and the People Power Party's ethics committee suspended his membership rights for ten months.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

PPP ethics committee imposed a ten-month suspension of party membership rights; later lifted under a party amnesty

Attribution

Personally implicated

Hong acknowledged giving his wife part of the special funds he received when he was parliamentary floor leader in 2008. The episode fuelled debate over the opacity and possible private use of the National Assembly's special activity funds.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Personally implicated

Following lawmaker Roh Hoe-chan's death by suicide, Hong said, in substance, that suicide should not be glorified and that a politician should take responsibility for his actions in another way. The remarks triggered strong political and public reactions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Hong was accused of receiving 100 million won from Sung Wan-jong before an internal election. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment at first instance in 2016, then acquitted on appeal in February 2017; the Supreme Court upheld his acquittal in December 2017, finding insufficient evidence.

Legal status — source text

18-month prison sentence at first instance; acquitted on appeal; Supreme Court upheld acquittal

Attribution

Personally implicated

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

During the 2017 presidential election, a passage from his memoirs resurfaced: Hong recounted obtaining for a friend a veterinary product described as an aphrodisiac in the context of an attempted sexual assault against a female student. Opponents and associations called for his withdrawal from the election.

State of the evidence

Documented

Hong was criticised in 2017 for several statements about men's and women's roles and homosexuality, notably remarks denying or minimising gender-based discrimination and expressing strong hostility towards homosexuality.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Hong publicly accused former JoongAng and JTBC head Hong Seok-hyun of seeking a political position and influencing media coverage. A legal and media dispute followed before Hong Joon-pyo issued a public apology.

State of the evidence

Alleged

Attribution

Personally implicated

Former conservative official Ryu Yeo-hae accused Hong of repeatedly making sexual or humiliating remarks and publicly described his behaviour as harassment.

Attribution

Personally implicated

Hong halted provincial funding of the universal free school meals programme and redirected part of the budget towards targeted assistance, provoking strong opposition from parents, teachers and local authorities.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Direct responsibility

As Governor of South Gyeongsang, Hong imposed the closure of Jinju Medical Center, a century-old public hospital, citing deficits, debt and trade union inflexibility. The decision triggered strikes, demonstrations, criticism from elected officials and civil society, and a national debate over the mission of public hospitals.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Direct responsibility

Following the 1996 legislative elections, Hong Joon-pyo was prosecuted over campaign expenditure deemed unlawful. In March 1999, the Supreme Court upheld a five-million-won fine, above the threshold for invalidating his election, and Hong lost his parliamentary seat.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Legal status — source text

Supreme Court upheld a five-million-won fine on 9 March 1999; parliamentary seat lost

Attribution

Personally implicated