[News Desk]
◀ Anchor ▶
Kim Moon-soo, who was selected as the presidential candidate for the People Power Party yesterday, began his first official schedule with a visit to the National Cemetery.
The party leadership appears to be focused on unifying with independent candidate Han Deok-soo.
The People Power Party’s election strategy committee decided to establish a body within the committee to facilitate unification with candidate Han from their very first meeting.
Reporter Gong Yoon-seon has the report.
◀ Report ▶
Candidate Kim Moon-soo, along with the People Power Party’s leadership, visited the National Cemetery as his first schedule as a presidential candidate.
After paying respects at the Memorial Tower and the graves of four former presidents, candidate Kim criticized Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, who said that Kim’s selection as the final candidate was a “setback for constitutional order,” calling it “absurd and shameless.”
The People Power Party immediately held its first meeting of the election strategy committee.
Candidate Kim expressed his ambition, stating that he will achieve great national unity in South Korea as president.
[Kim Moon-soo/People Power Party Presidential Candidate]
“I will ensure unity, overcoming all divides: between left and right, labor and management, east and west, men and women, and rich and poor.”
The discussions within the committee focused on unification with independent candidate Han Deok-soo.
After a private meeting lasting over 50 minutes, it was decided to establish a separate body within the committee to work on unification with candidate Han.
[Shin Dong-wook/Chief Spokesperson of People Power Party]
“We have decided to quickly establish a body to negotiate unification with candidate Han Deok-soo.”
With the deadline for presidential candidate registration just a week away, it is expected that the unification negotiations will proceed swiftly.
An official from candidate Han’s camp told MBC, “We have communicated to the party leadership our intention to leave all decisions regarding the rules, methods, and timing of unification entirely to the People’s Power Party’s judgment.”
Candidate Kim Moon-soo also met with reporters in a Hansen’s disease village in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, stating, “There are many voices saying we should unify without further delay,” and expressed his intention to consider this.
Both candidates are scheduled to attend the ‘Buddha’s Birthday Celebration Ceremony’ at Jogyesa Temple tomorrow morning, marking their first meeting as presidential candidates.
The remaining variable is Innovation Party candidate Lee Jun-seok, who is classified as a conservative candidate.
Candidate Kim Moon-soo has opened the possibility of a three-way primary, stating that “it would be desirable for as many people as possible to participate in unification.” However, candidate Lee Jun-seok, after visiting the Gwangju May 18 National Cemetery, reiterated his intention to complete the race without broader conservative unification, stating, “A political engineering big tent is meaningless.”
This is Gong Yoon-seon from MBC News.
Video coverage: Kwon Hyuk-yong, Lee Ji-ho / Video editing: Yoon Chi-young
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