Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Freedom and Innovation Party, speaks at a Supreme Council meeting on the 29th. [Freedom and Innovation]

Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Freedom and Innovation Party (former Prime Minister), expressed his intense indignation toward Lee Jae-myung—who is now widely regarded by the public as the embodiment of "utmost incompetence" following the 6/3 fraudulent election incident that pushed South Korea to the brink—demanding that he "step down immediately." 

During the Supreme Council meeting of the Freedom and Innovation Party held on the 29th, Representative Hwang launched a high-intensity critique, targeting the current administration's lack of legitimacy, the horrors of the fraudulent election, and the fracturing of the ROK-U.S. alliance.

Known for his typically cautious and lawyerly demeanor, Representative Hwang adopted a blunt tone on this day, issuing a strong demand for the resignation of the so-called "fake president" in what was nearly a declaration of war. 

From the beginning of his opening remarks, he defined Lee Jae-myung’s "lack of qualifications" with a tone of certainty, stating, "It has already been confirmed by Supreme Court rulings that Lee Jae-myung is unfit to lead the nation." He vehemently criticized him, adding, "The public is well aware that he sits in the presidency only because the Seoul High Court dragged its feet and delayed the trial after the case was remanded with a guilty opinion regarding violations of the Public Official Election Act." 

Representative Hwang continued his direct attack, saying, "A person who did not even have the qualification to run for office hijacked the public's votes through a fraudulent election, seized the presidency, and is now forcibly steering state affairs, ruining the country."

He particularly took issue with the economic policies of the administration led by Mr. Lee, labeling them as "populist handouts of free money." He lamented, "The only method they could come up with is to appease the public by handing out free money. Now they are offering measures to revive the economy, but it appears they are desperate to grant benefits only to specific regions. As always, they are hastily spouting nonsense to deceive the eyes of the public and ruining the future of the country in a reckless, piecemeal fashion." 

He further issued a stern public warning, stating, "The Lee Jae-myung administration is truly incompetent and is practicing dictatorship. Lee Jae-myung must step down. Otherwise, the people will soon rise up like a wildfire to resist."

The Mystery of the 'Olympic Park Ballot Boxes'... Repeated Calls for Live-Streamed Recount of 380 Boxes

The area where Representative Hwang spent the most time launching his barrage was none other than the "fraudulent election." His voice seemed to carry deep anger as he mentioned the issue of the ballot boxes being held at the Olympic Park counting station.

Representative Hwang chided, "How many days have the ballot boxes been tied up at the Olympic Park counting station now? It has been almost a month." He then expressed his concern, saying, "The current regime is engaged in intentional delaying tactics. In the end, aren't they just trying to get the police to force their way in and seize the evidence?" 

He firmly reiterated his demand for a "live-streamed recount" so that the entire nation can witness the process. He stated, "I have already proposed an alternative: conduct a recount live on air so that all citizens can see. All 380 ballot boxes currently at the counting station must be recounted. It won't take much time."

He continued, "If there are fake ballots inside, we will find out, and if not, we can simply proceed with the recount. Since it is said that people have already been going in and out, there is a high possibility that the ballots have been tampered with. Moreover, as reported in the media, the National Election Commission dissolved and discarded 7.4 tons of paper. It is reasonable to suspect that this was done to destroy evidence." 

Representative Hwang urged for an immediate live-streamed recount, asserting, "However, as has been the case in the past, no matter what they do, they cannot pull off a perfect swap, and the truth will eventually come to light."

He also expressed skepticism regarding the future state investigation and special counsel. He stated, "I expect them to conclude that 'while there were some sloppy management issues, it was not enough to overturn the election results, so a re-election is not necessary.'" He emphasized, "Regardless of institutional investigations, open the ballot boxes immediately and verify them via a live broadcast for the whole nation to see."

Turning to foreign affairs and security, Representative Hwang grew even sharper. He diagnosed the current government under Mr. Lee's control as showing a pro-China bias and intentionally weakening the ROK-U.S. alliance, claiming, "The decisive evidence of this is the exit ban placed on Ambassador Morse Tan, an American who served as the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice during the first Trump administration." 

Representative Hwang directly criticized the move, saying, "They imposed an exit ban on an American citizen, Ambassador Morse Tan, taking issue with things he said while in the U.S." He pushed back fiercely, stating, "If you are trying to retaliate because he spoke about Lee Jae-myung, it will be a case of 'penny-wise and pound-foolish.' Is Lee Jae-myung an emperor? Is there no freedom of expression? Lift the exit ban immediately."

He concluded by lashing out, "Although Ambassador Morse Tan, an American citizen, has already appeared before the police and undergone questioning, the exit ban has not been lifted. If one truly values the ROK-U.S. alliance, such treatment is absolutely unacceptable."