Lee-Yoon, Agree on One-on-One Debate First, Then Multi-Party Debate... People's Party and Justice Party 'Oppose'

Democratic Party and People Power Party Agree on One-on-One Debate on 31st and Multi-Party Debate on 3rd Next Month
People's Party: "One-on-One Debate Is Collusion"
Justice Party: "Three-Party Debate on 31st Needed Even Without Yoon Seok-yeol"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, visited the Marine Corps 2nd Division at Aegibong Peace Ecological Park in Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 28th, inspecting the military guard. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Lee Ki-min] The Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party have agreed to hold a preliminary two-party debate on the 31st of this month, followed by a four-party debate on the 3rd of next month. The People's Party and the Justice Party have opposed this plan, continuing the confusion surrounding the TV debates.

On the 28th, Seong Il-jong, head of the People Power Party's TV debate negotiation team, stated in a press release, "We sincerely welcome the acceptance of our proposal for a two-party debate on January 31 and a four-party debate on February 3," adding, "Accordingly, we request the immediate commencement of practical negotiations."

Accordingly, on the Lunar New Year holiday, the two-party debate will be held between Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, and Yoon Seok-youl, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, on the 31st. Separately, on the 3rd of next month, a four-party debate will be held with candidates Lee, Yoon, Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party, and Shim Sang-jung of the Justice Party participating.

Earlier that day, Seong held a press conference at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, stating, "Candidate Lee should accept the two-party debate between 7 PM and 9 PM on the 31st," and "We propose holding a four-party debate hosted by the three major broadcasters on February 3." In response, Park Joo-min, head of the Democratic Party's broadcast debate content team, held a briefing at the party office after a practical meeting on terrestrial broadcast debates among the three parties excluding the People Power Party on the 28th, stating, "We have agreed to hold a four-party debate at 8 PM on February 3," and "We reconfirm participation in the two-party debate on the 31st proposed by the People Power Party." This indicates acceptance of the People Power Party's demands.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Formally, the Democratic Party has accepted the People Power Party's revised proposal, but confusion surrounding the TV debates continues.

First, the People's Party stated regarding this, "Today's KBS rule meeting was a session to discuss the rules for the terrestrial broadcast debate to be held on the 3rd of next month, and was not a meeting for practical negotiations or agreements among the three parties," adding, "The People's Party clearly points out that the two-party debate between the People Power Party and the Democratic Party is a 'collusive act' that ignores the court's decision, and requests the Democratic Party to withdraw the agreement on the two-party debate." They further stated, "We have not made any agreement with the Democratic Party."

Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People’s Party, is taking off his mask to speak at a press conference hosted by the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 28th. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

The Justice Party also expressed the position that a debate among the three parties excluding candidate Yoon should proceed on the 31st during the Lunar New Year holiday. Lee Dong-young, senior spokesperson for the Justice Party, said, "Among the three parties whose candidates had confirmed attendance by official letter until yesterday, no candidate has said that holding the debate on the 31st is difficult, and since the broadcasters have prepared for the debate on the 31st, the priority is to hold the debate on the 31st," adding, "For candidates Lee and Yoon to forcibly hold a two-party debate again goes against the court's decision and seriously undermines it," criticizing the move.