Kwon Seong-dong Counters Lee Jae-myung's 3-on-3 Debate Proposal
with a 1-on-1 Debate Suggestion
On the 24th, Kwon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the People Power Party, counter-proposed a 1-on-1 unlimited debate to Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who had requested a 3-on-3 public debate. The ruling and opposition parties are engaged in a tense standoff over the method and format of the public debate regarding inheritance tax and other tax reforms.
Meeting with reporters that afternoon, Floor Leader Kwon said, "Leader Lee first proposed a public debate, and I accepted, but then he suddenly changed his words," adding, "Now he is proposing a 3-on-3 debate and is running away again."
He continued, "Meeting as 3-on-3 is more about negotiation than debate," and urged, "Let's have an unlimited 1-on-1 debate without limiting the topics."
On the 23rd, Leader Lee shared a post by Democratic Party lawmaker Lim Gwang-hyun, who proposed a public debate on inheritance tax reform to Floor Leader Kwon, saying, "If you are truly confident and honorable, let's have a public debate instead of lying behind the scenes."
In response, the People Power Party fired back by proposing a 1-on-1 final debate on all current issues. Kim Dae-sik, the senior spokesperson for the People Power Party floor leader, stated that day, "We agree to an unlimited 1-on-1 debate," and added, "We propose a final debate not only on the inheritance tax law but on all political, economic, social, and cultural matters."
After receiving the ruling party's unlimited debate proposal, Leader Lee again suggested a 3-on-3 debate to the People Power Party. When asked by reporters about the debate plan, he replied, "Let's do it as soon as possible," and said, "Let's include the party leaders, floor leader teams, and policy committee chairs, and have a 3-on-3 debate."
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