Huh Kyung-young, barred from TV debate, says "Then I'll replace Yoon in the '4-person debate'"

Court Rejects Injunction to Block 4-Party Debate
"Honestly Explain Why Only Heo Kyung-young Is Rejected"

Huh Kyung-young, the presidential candidate of the National Revolutionary Party, expressed dissatisfaction after his injunction request to block the four-party debate was dismissed.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Heo Kyung-young, the presidential candidate of the National Revolutionary Party, strongly opposed the court's dismissal of his injunction request to block TV debates involving only the four parties with seats in the National Assembly.

On the 28th, after the court's dismissal decision, Candidate Heo posted on his Facebook, asking, "Be honest about why only Heo Kyung-young's injunction request for the TV debate was dismissed. Did you chicken out because you would lose in the debate against Heo Kyung-young?" This was interpreted as expressing dissatisfaction with the dismissal of his injunction request.

On the same day, the Seoul Western District Court dismissed Candidate Heo's injunction request, citing that his party has no seats in the National Assembly and that his average support rate in opinion polls did not reach 5%.

The court explained, "Media organizations are not required to invite all candidates to hold and broadcast debates or discussions. They may, based on factors such as the candidate's likelihood of winning, voter interest, and whether they have been recommended by a major influential party, invite only some candidates within the necessary scope to satisfy voters' right to know, and hold and broadcast debates accordingly at their discretion."

Previously, injunction requests submitted by Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People’s Party, and Shim Sang-jung, the presidential candidate of the Justice Party, to ban broadcasts of debates inviting only the two major party candidates were accepted on the 26th. As a result, the two-party TV debate involving Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and Yoon Seok-youl of the People Power Party was canceled.

On the same day, Candidate Heo also posted another message on Facebook, asking, "Since the two-party debate is unfair, how about Heo Kyung-young taking the place in the four-party debate instead of Candidate Yoon Seok-youl?"