Kim Moonsoo Says "Party Leadership Trying to Oust Me... Suspending Campaign Schedule"

"The party that failed to protect the presidency is now trying to force the candidate to step down"
"Heading to Seoul to prepare countermeasures for pending issues"

Kim Moonsoo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, suspended his campaign schedule on the 6th. This move is interpreted as a response to the party leadership's intensified pressure for unification with former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo.

During his schedule in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, on the afternoon of the same day, Kim met with reporters and declared, "The party, which has failed to protect the presidency twice, is now trying to force the presidential candidate to step down," announcing the suspension of his campaign activities.

People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo is leaving the conference venue after announcing on the 6th at the Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, the site of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, that he would suspend his campaign schedule and return to Seoul to prepare countermeasures for current issues. On the left is Representative Kim Daesik, a leading member of the first and second-term lawmakers. Photo by Yonhap News

Kim emphasized, "There is less than a month left until the presidential election. As the People Power Party's candidate, I have devoted all my efforts to promoting a vision for victory in the presidential race."

He continued, "I have consistently demonstrated a clear will for unification, and my stance on unification remains unchanged. However, the party continues to refuse to support its presidential candidate," he pointed out.

Kim stated, "The party leadership has also convened the National Committee and the party convention without warning. I believe this is an attempt by the leadership to forcibly remove me, the legitimate presidential candidate."

He added, "If this was their intention, why did we hold the primary three times? As a candidate in the primary, I am suspending my campaign schedule from this moment."

He went on to say, "I will return to Seoul and thoroughly prepare countermeasures for the various pending issues."

Earlier in the afternoon, Kwon Youngse, head of the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee, and Kwon Seongdong, the party's floor leader, announced that they would travel to Daegu to meet Kim in person and discuss the unification schedule.

It was also reported that former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo was scheduled to travel to Daegu that afternoon to meet with Kim. However, with Kim expressing his dissatisfaction with the party leadership and announcing the suspension of his campaign, there is a possibility that the unification talks may be delayed.