PPP's Lee Yangsoo: "First Unification Meeting Canceled Due to Kim Moonsoo's Refusal"

"Han Ducksoo's Camp Intended to Attend, but Kim Moonsoo's Camp Refused"
"Party Convention Is an Administrative Procedure... Not for Candidate Replacement"

Lee Yangsoo, Secretary-General of the People Power Party, stated on the morning of May 6 that the first meeting for unifying the presidential candidates was scheduled to be held, but it was canceled due to the refusal of People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo's camp.

Speaking to reporters at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of May 6, Lee Yangsoo said, "Yoo Sangbeom, head of the unification task force, was planning to hold a unification meeting at 10 a.m. Han Ducksoo's camp was waiting to attend, but Kim's camp refused to participate, so the first unification meeting did not take place."

People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo (right) and independent presidential preliminary candidate Han Ducksoo shake hands after the Buddha's Birthday celebration ceremony held at Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News

He added, "Director Yoo even went directly to Kim's campaign office to persuade the staff. It's not that there is no communication, but there has been no progress."

Regarding the announcement of convening a party convention between May 10 and 11, Secretary-General Lee explained that this is an administrative procedure in preparation for the unification of Kim Moonsoo and former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo, not for the purpose of replacing Kim as the candidate.

He said, "Kim has repeatedly said he would pursue unification. If Kim wins, there will be no need for a party convention. However, if former Prime Minister Han wins, a party convention will be absolutely necessary."

Secretary-General Lee continued, "We do not know whether the unification process will take place or not, but if former Prime Minister Han becomes the unified candidate and we have not arranged for a party convention, there could be a situation where we have selected a candidate but cannot register them with the National Election Commission."

He went on to say, "The National Committee can serve as an alternative if the party convention cannot be held. We are making these arrangements because we do not know what might happen." He clarified, "This is an administrative procedure, not an attempt to revise the party constitution or regulations. We have not even reviewed the possibility, so we do not know if such revisions are possible."

Earlier that morning, Kim Jae-won, former Supreme Council member of the People Power Party and current chief of staff for Kim Moonsoo, appeared on CBS Radio and expressed suspicion about the party convention schedule, saying, "If unification of the candidates does not go smoothly, isn't the party planning to amend the party constitution and regulations to remove Kim from his position as candidate?"

Kim Moonsoo also released a statement, saying, "The National Committee and the party convention appear to be procedures for amending the party constitution and regulations. The party should clearly and explicitly explain the reasons for holding the National Committee on May 8-9 and the party convention on May 10-11."

When asked whether Kim's camp had misunderstood, Secretary-General Lee replied, "I wish they had called me, as Secretary-General, to ask why we did this. It's unfortunate that they did not."