Seoul: People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo on Sunday pledged to set up "institutional measures" to prevent the president from getting involved in party operations. "We should do away with a president-centric, vertical relationship between the party and the government, and transition to a healthy relationship of mutual respect and cooperation," Kim said in a statement following his visit to the birthplace of Yook Young-su, the late wife of the late former President Park Chung-hee, in Okcheon, some 150 kilometers south of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim highlighted that the president's meddling with party affairs has historically caused significant conflict. He noted that when the president involved themselves in election candidate nominations, it compromised the party's autonomy and democracy, leading to internal friction and a president-oriented party dynamic. Kim specifically referenced issues under former President Yoon Suk Yeol as examples of such interference.
Kim emphasized that allowing the president to take over the party poses a threat to democracy, and he underscored the necessity of ending this practice. He outlined his commitment to three key principles for the PPP constitution, which include ensuring cooperation between the government and the party, maintaining separation between the two entities, and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy on internal factions.
Furthermore, Kim assured that he would ensure the president remains uninvolved in key party affairs, such as candidate nominations and personnel decisions. He stated that all party activities would be conducted independently and autonomously, in line with the party constitution and regulations, eliminating any criticism that the president and his aides influence party operations.