Seoul: People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo and the party's interim leader, Kwon Young-se, have once again found themselves at odds over the proposed merger of Kim's campaign with that of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. This clash marks another episode of internal strife within the conservative party as it prepares for the June 3 presidential election.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the discord erupted as the PPP was poised to release results from a two-day opinion poll measuring favorability between Kim and Han. Kim criticized the party leadership's push for a merger as an attempt to sideline him in favor of making an independent candidate the party's nominee. In a meeting with PPP lawmakers, Kim stated, "The forced merger pushed by the party leadership is nothing more than an attempt to remove me and make an independent candidate the party's presidential nominee. I cannot accept this."
In contrast, Kwon Young-se expressed regret over Kim's comments, emphasizing the need for a leader to prioritize the party's interests over personal ambitions. The ongoing tension reflects a deeper rift within the party, with Kim, a former labor minister, demanding an end to the leadership's pressure to unify his candidacy with Han.
Efforts to negotiate a unified candidacy between Kim and Han have thus far been unsuccessful, as evidenced by the inconclusive talks held on Thursday. With the election just 25 days away, the PPP remains divided, particularly in light of the circumstances surrounding the ousting of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The opinion polls, which will influence the party's decision, are determined by a combination of 50 percent party member votes and 50 percent public opinion. As the situation unfolds, Kim has canceled campaign activities in Daegu and Busan to focus on addressing the leadership's merger efforts.
Han, pushing for a resolution by May 11, argues that a unified candidacy is essential to consolidate conservative votes against Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, who currently leads in opinion polls. Han has stated he will not enter the race without an agreement on merging candidacies.
In response to the impasse, Kim proposed a temporary arrangement where both candidates would campaign independently for a week, followed by a debate and public opinion polls to decide the candidacy.
Late Friday, representatives from Kim and Han's campaigns resumed negotiations on potentially unifying their efforts. This followed a court's rejection of Kim's petition to affirm his candidacy, a move intended to shield him from merger pressures. Despite the legal setback, Kim's campaign remains firm, asserting his status as the rightful presidential candidate.