Lee Jae Myung: ”Hong Jun-pyo was the toughest opponent”... ”I'm saddened by his retirement from politics” = South Korea

On the 12th, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, the largest opposition party in South Korea, spoke about former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo, who announced his retirement from politics and traveled to the United States.
"Honestly, for me, a seasoned politician like Hong Jun-pyo was the toughest opponent in this presidential election," said Lee.
In a social media post titled "In Memory of Hong," he wrote, "If I were to compete with my senior (Hong), I would like to see Korean politics break away from excessive judicialization and engage in a fair and honest competition.
Candidate Lee wrote, "Hong was a member of the opposing camp, but I couldn't hate him. He was a true man with humor, wit, and a spirit of unity.
"He was loved by many people as a politician," he wrote. "But Hong, who left a huge mark on Korean political history and dedicated his life to the conservative party, ended up losing his faith in the past."
"I deeply sympathize with Hong's dream of running the country, especially his idea of overcoming the crisis and moving forward with a unified left-right government," he said.
He also wrote, "In these difficult times, are ideologies and camps more important than the national interest and the happiness of the people?" and "When (Hong senior) returns from the United States, I would like to drink makgeolli with him."