Song calls Jung 'goldfish IQ'; Jung fires back: 'Did Kim Min-seok put you up to this?'

A war of words is escalating among the Democratic Party of Korea's candidates vying for the party leadership. Song Young-gil told rival Jung Chung-rae he was telling "an obvious lie," adding, "It's not like you have a goldfish IQ" — to which Jung shot back, "Did Kim Min-seok put you up to this?"

Song appeared on CBS Radio on Thursday to revisit Wednesday's televised leadership debate, accusing Jung of lying. "It's a complete lie to say the party, government and presidential office agreed to frame the local elections as a win," Song said. "He clearly said 'party, government and presidential office,' but now he's dropped the presidential office and is saying it was just between the party and the Blue House."

Song pressed further, saying Jung had been unable to defend himself logically. "I pointed out how he could claim to protect the Lee Jae Myung administration while openly opposing the president's own position," Song said. "He couldn't answer that, so he lied. You have to remember what you said before — but he can't, like someone with a goldfish IQ."

Jung hit back immediately on Facebook. "Song Young-gil's mouth is getting more and more out of control toward Jung Chung-rae," he wrote. "Last time he didn't hesitate to use the extreme expression 'cut off the traitor's head,' and now 'goldfish IQ' — isn't that going too far? Did Kim Min-seok tell you to say this? Or is this just Song Young-gil's unique personality?"