Seoul: Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo emphasized the importance of unifying the conservative presidential candidacy as the June 3 election approaches, as efforts to merge with People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo continue.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Han, who has registered as an independent preliminary candidate, addressed the issue during a debate with journalists. He highlighted the potential consequences of failing to unify candidacies, stating, “I have never imagined that unifying candidacies would fail. Failure to unify the candidacies would be a major betrayal of the people.” This statement underscores Han’s commitment to forming a stronger opposition against Democratic Party contender Lee Jae-myung, who is currently leading in opinion polls.
At 75, Han has emerged as a significant figure within the conservative camp, aiming to replace the ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol. Han, who previously served as acting president, resigned last Thursday and announced his candidacy the following day. For the unification to occur, Han and Kim must reach an agreement by May 11, the official candidate registration deadline set by the National Election Commission.
Kim Moon-soo, on the other hand, expressed disappointment with the PPP leadership for not supporting his candidacy and the ongoing unification discussions. Despite being selected as the party’s candidate through several primaries, Kim criticized the leadership for forming a task force to pursue unification with Han without his involvement. “The (PPP) leadership promised full support for the candidate,” Kim stated, accusing the party of sidelining him and undermining his position as the official presidential candidate.
In response to these developments, Kim announced the suspension of his election campaign and accused the PPP of attempting to unjustly remove him from the race in favor of Han. Earlier, Kwon Young-se, the PPP’s interim leader, had urged Kim to honor his commitment to unify the candidacy, announcing a survey among party members to gauge support for a merger between Kim and Han.
Kwon emphasized the importance of keeping promises to party members and the public, warning that failure to do so could result in a loss of trust. He also stated that the unification process must reach a conclusion by Sunday, adding he would resign from his position if it fails.