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Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min has begun individual candidate support campaigns for the April 10 general election. Although there was no official request from the party, Yoo voluntarily stepped forward to provide behind-the-scenes support. Within the party, voices are emerging that Yoo should be actively utilized to attract moderate voters amid the deepening crisis in the metropolitan area. However, the party leadership still drew a line on the 'Yoo Seung-min role theory.'

On the 28th, Yoo campaigned in support of Yoo Kyung-joon, the People Power Party candidate running for Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province. This was his first public activity since he said in January, "I will protect the party. I will not apply for nomination." Yoo plans to campaign on the afternoon of the 29th with Lee Jong-cheol, candidate for Seongbuk-gu Gap in Seoul, and on the morning of the 30th with Ham Woon-kyung, candidate for Mapo-gu, followed by support for Choi Jae-hyung, candidate for Jongno-gu, in the afternoon. Yoo told reporters the day before, "I will actively help only the candidates who request my support," adding, "No one from the party has contacted me."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The reason Yoo has stepped up so actively despite no request from the party is that there is a steady opinion within the party that his role is necessary. A candidate running in the metropolitan area said, "Isn't Yoo Seung-min the only symbol of the moderate faction in our party?" and pointed out, "Honestly, Chairman Han Dong-hoon alone is not enough." Earlier, Kim Sung-tae, co-chairman of the People Power Party's Seoul regional election committee, also said on MBC Radio on the 26th that the idea of Yoo's role is "something that can be sufficiently considered at this point."

However, the People Power Party leadership again drew a line on the theory of Yoo's involvement that day. At a meeting with reporters, Secretary-General Jang Dong-hyuk was asked whether an official role could be requested of Yoo, and he said, "We have not yet reviewed that part," adding, "I personally appreciate his active support for individual candidates. The current stance of the leadership is like that."