Conflict Escalates Over Differences in Views on Candidate Unification
Kim Moonsoo, who was selected as the People Power Party's presidential candidate, is greeting at the People Power Party convention held on the 3rd at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. From the left, Kwon Youngse, Emergency Committee Chairman, candidate Kim, and Kwon Seongdong, floor leader. Photo by Yonhap News
Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, and the party leadership clashed on May 5 over the candidate's 'priority authority over party affairs.'
In a statement released that day, candidate Kim said, "The acts of infringing on the candidate's priority authority over party affairs, which have continued since immediately after the nomination, must stop immediately." The 'priority authority over party affairs' referred to by Kim is stipulated in Article 74 of the party constitution.
This article stipulates that "the presidential candidate shall have priority over all authority regarding party affairs, within the necessary scope for the efficient conduct of election-related business, from the date of nomination until the presidential election day." Kim cited the leadership's pressure to unify candidates and the failure to appoint a new party secretary-general as examples of infringements on his priority authority over party affairs.
In his statement, Kim also said, "I regret that, after being nominated as the presidential candidate, I was unilaterally asked to proceed with candidate unification within three days, and the party refused to cooperate with the presidential candidate regarding party affairs."
The party leadership immediately pushed back against Kim's stance. Secretary-General Lee Yangsoo stated in a message to the media, "There is no case, under any law, in which a candidate is granted full authority," and added, "Candidate Kim's side must immediately stop trying to place themselves above the party constitution and regulations."
He rebutted Kim's claim by saying, "Although the term 'priority authority over party affairs' is used in the party constitution and regulations, existing top-level decision-making procedures and the democratic processes specified in party regulations are still maintained according to those regulations."
Secretary-General Lee explained, "In past cases, when a candidate made a decision, the party leadership respected it and followed the procedures set by party regulations. There has never been a case where a candidate's words or intentions superseded the party constitution or regulations." He added, "The highest decision-making bodies in the party are, in order: the party convention, the national committee, the standing national committee, and the supreme council. The authority to adopt party policy lies with the general assembly of lawmakers."
In response, Kim's campaign issued an additional statement to the media, saying, "Candidate Kim requested the party leadership's cooperation regarding the formation of the election committee, the establishment of a candidate unification body, and the replacement of the secretary-general. He only requested the minimum organizational arrangements necessary to run the presidential election." The campaign further stated, "Nevertheless, we find it difficult to understand why Secretary-General Lee claims that candidate Kim is trying to place himself above the party constitution and regulations."
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