[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The camp of Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, denied on the 3rd that they had agreed to an emergency meeting with Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, in Ulsan.
A representative from Lee's camp stated, "The rumor circulating that a person related to Yoon's side said, 'We will go to Ulsan shortly to meet Lee Jun-seok. It has been arranged with Lee Jun-seok. An emergency meeting in Ulsan,' is completely untrue." Some media outlets quoted a person related to Yoon's side saying, "Yoon will go to Ulsan shortly to meet Lee. It has been arranged with Lee's side."
It is doubtful whether the meeting will actually take place. Earlier, Lee met with reporters in Jeju Island and said that he could only meet if the agenda was coordinated in advance by Yoon's side, expressing "great embarrassment" about this. He added, "I have a strong sense of problem with why I should submit (the agenda) to someone in advance and undergo prior censorship," and said, "If the candidate cannot come directly to meet the party leader and intends to go through key personnel censorship, I have no plans to meet."
However, on the same day, Yoon reportedly visited Jeju Island, where Lee was staying, hoping to meet him. Yoon told reporters in the morning, "I want to meet (Lee)." Regarding the controversy over promotional expenses raised by Lee and others, Yoon said, "It seems like rumors going around outside; there is no intention (to imply that Lee is embezzling promotional expenses)." However, Yoon criticized the fact that Lee left Jeju Island for Ulsan and that Lee's camp expressed no intention to meet.
Yoon's close aide, Kwon Seong-dong, Secretary-General of the People Power Party, also told reporters, "Yoon will not go to Jeju Island today." Secretary-General Kwon said, "If we meet, it should resolve things, but going without going through a process of coordinating opinions is inappropriate."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
