At the Joguk Innovation Party Supreme Council
Significance Given to Unification of Geumjeong District Mayor Candidates
"Competition in the Democratic Camp, a Touchstone for Solidarity"
Jo Guk, leader of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, gave significance to the unification of the Busan Geumjeong District Mayor candidates on the 7th, stating, "There may be ups and downs, but I assured the public that 'in the end, we will not be divided.'"
At the Jo Guk Innovation Party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Jo said regarding the candidate unification, "The people who wished for the early end of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration gave the unification of the democratic progressive camp candidates as their first command, and the Jo Guk Innovation Party and the Democratic Party fulfilled that command." He evaluated the unification by saying, "It will be a touchstone for competition and solidarity within the democratic progressive camp in bringing down the Yoon Seok-yeol administration."
Cho Guk, leader of the Cho Guk Innovation Party, is applauding together with candidate Ryu Je-seong at a press conference announcing Ryu Je-seong's campaign pledges for the Geumjeong District Mayor held at the Busan City Council in Yeonje-gu, Busan, on the afternoon of the 30th of last month. Candidate Ryu withdrew from the race after losing the unification primary against the Democratic Party of Korea the previous day. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The day before, after a unification primary between the two parties, Ryu Je-sung, the Jo Guk Innovation Party candidate who lost in the primary, withdrew, and Kim Kyung-ji, the Democratic Party candidate, was finally selected as the Geumjeong District Mayor candidate.
Regarding the October 16 by-election, Jo also expressed his position on the growing conflict between the Jo Guk Innovation Party and the Democratic Party amid a competitive landscape. He said, "The Jo Guk Innovation Party is acting according to the principles declared at its founding," and "We will not give up our independent vision and policies." Jo stated, "In the election, we will definitely create a one-on-one structure between the democratic progressive camp and the Yoon Seok-yeol administration," adding, "Competition without this premise is destructive, but competition based on this is productive."
He also urged restraint inside and outside the party regarding the intensifying conflict between the two parties related to the by-election. Jo said, "The interests of one's own party are important. Even so, it is not right to scratch or crush other parties and their candidates," and added, "Aren't we comrades who must unite to change the administration and establish the 4th democratic government?"
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