'People Power One Team Campaign' Without Yoon, Choi, and Hong... Candidate Recruitment Continues

Leading Candidates Absent from Volunteer Activity Event

People running in the People Power Party primary are taking photos before volunteer activities in Dongja-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 4th. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The People Power Party has launched its ‘One Team’ campaign schedule. With 13 candidates lined up ahead of the ‘August Primary Bus’ departure, the party intends to emphasize a unified strategy. However, the start failed to present a ‘one team’ image as prominent contenders such as former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung, and People Power Party lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo all notably skipped the event.

On the morning of the 4th, nine candidates from the People Power Party visited a shantytown in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to provide food and COVID-19 related supplies. Attendees included former Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong, former Liberty Korea Party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, lawmakers Yoon Hee-sook, Park Jin, Ha Tae-kyung, Kim Tae-ho, World and Northeast Asia Peace Forum Chairman Jang Sung-min, former Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo, and Kimhae-eul Party Committee Chairman Jang Ki-pyo. However, former Chairman Choi, who was absent due to his candidacy announcement, was represented by his spouse, Lee So-yeon.

Meanwhile, former Prosecutor General Yoon, lawmaker Hong, and former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min all explained that they could not participate in the volunteer activities due to pre-scheduled private engagements. A camp official for former Prosecutor General Yoon stated, "(Yoon) said he had a personal schedule that was difficult to cancel," while a representative for lawmaker Hong said, "He has a schedule in Daegu," explaining his absence. A camp official for former lawmaker Yoo also said, "There are several private events that were scheduled a long time ago," adding, "The schedule notice was sudden, so it was difficult to adjust."

However, there is also analysis that former Prosecutor General Yoon, who was previously outside the party, is reluctant to easily follow the party’s decisions. He has shown distance from the party, even deciding to join without consulting People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok. After joining, Yoon has also expressed his intention to continue efforts to ‘expand the party’s outreach.’

On the morning of the 4th, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol visited the solo protest site of Kwon Seong-dong, a member of the People Power Party, in front of the Cheongwadae Sarangchae, where he was urging President Moon Jae-in to apologize for the 'Druking presidential election opinion manipulation case.'
[Photo by Yoon Seok-yeol's National Campaign]

Tension is palpable among the candidates. This is because much attention is focused on the newly joined contenders. In particular, existing party candidates continue to keep a close watch on former Prosecutor General Yoon, the frontrunner. On the 2nd, former lawmaker Yoo directly criticized Yoon’s controversial remarks about ‘unsafe food’ on Facebook, saying, "I wonder what his usual philosophy is." He also pointed out in a media interview last month that "hostility or a judgmental approach alone will never work."

Some candidates have also shown discomfort toward lawmakers who sided with the outsider candidates before their party entry. On the 20th of last month, lawmaker Hong criticized lawmaker Jung Jin-seok, who supports Yoon, on Facebook, saying, "Mocking insiders while protecting outsiders is an excessive and incomprehensible act."

The People Power Party continues to hold regular meetings and debates involving primary candidates, while maintaining efforts to merge with the People’s Party. On the same day, Party Leader Lee said in an interview on CBS Radio’s ‘Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show’ when asked, "Do you think People’s Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo should get on the People Power Party primary bus at the end?" that "The bus driver is happy when there are many passengers," but added, "If the driver sees me unpleasantly and refuses to get on, then the door closes and the bus leaves." Regarding former Deputy Prime Minister Kim Dong-yeon, who is mentioned as a ‘third zone’ candidate, Lee told reporters after a meeting with newly appointed provincial party chairpersons, "There was some contact," adding, "It doesn’t have to be just one battery; you can attach a supplementary battery," leaving room for possibility.