Stubborn on 'Quantum Debate' Yoon... Jin Joong-kwon Criticizes "Too Many Attachments in the Debate"

"TV Debate is Most Rational as a Four-Party Debate"
"All Citizens Expect a Four-Party Debate... Why Backing Out?"

Jin Joong-kwon, former professor at Dongyang University / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon sharply criticized the Yoon Seok-yeol campaign of the People Power Party for insisting on a one-on-one debate instead of a multi-party debate as the presidential debate format, saying, "I don't understand why they are evading."

On the 27th, Jin appeared on CBS Radio's 'Hanpan Seungbu' and said, "I am angry right now. Why are there so many conditions when we just want to have one debate?"

He continued, "All citizens were expecting a four-party debate when the court ruling was made," and pointed out, "I don't understand what reasonable grounds there are for this kind of evasion."

He added, "The court ruled that a TV debate is scheduled, and having only two participants is unfair," emphasizing, "Then, a reasonable solution is for all four parties to participate in the TV debate together."

Earlier, on the 26th, the 21st Civil Division of the Seoul Western District Court (Presiding Judge Park Byung-tae) granted a provisional injunction filed by Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People's Party, against the three terrestrial broadcasters to prohibit the one-on-one TV debate broadcast.

Yoon Seok-yeol, People Power Party presidential candidate / Photo by Yonhap News

As a result, the live broadcast of the one-on-one TV debate between Yoon Seok-yeol and Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, appears to have been effectively canceled.

Meanwhile, the People Power Party proposed holding a separate one-on-one debate that would not be broadcast by the networks.

The People Power Party's TV debate negotiation team held a briefing at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 27th, stating, "We propose to the Democratic Party to hold a one-on-one debate on the 31st at the National Assembly or a third location," and argued, "The court's provisional injunction decision implies that debates invited by broadcasters have a significant impact on elections, so a debate held by mutual agreement between two parties without broadcaster invitation is considered permissible."

They added, "We hope to hold practical negotiations today to discuss the details related to this."

In response, Sim Sang-jung, the presidential candidate of the Justice Party, wrote on her Facebook on the 27th, sharply criticizing, "Candidate Yoon Seok-yeol, do not run away with a shabby trick."

She said, "Yesterday, the court clearly stated that the one-on-one debate without reasonable grounds infringed on equality, the right to participate in debates under the Public Official Election Act, and voters' right to know," and criticized, "Candidate Yoon, who always says he will follow the law, why can't he follow the law on debates? I cannot help but ask if Yoon Seok-yeol's fairness is denying even democracy."