Hong Junpyo: "Primary Candidates Paid Over 5 Billion Won... Party Must Reimburse Expenses if Candidate Is Forcibly Replaced"

Conflict Intensifies Between People Power Party Leadership and Kim Moonsoo
Hong Tells Channel A: "Final Four Candidates Each Paid at Least 200 Million Won"
"Priority Over Party Affairs Allows for Dissolution of Emergency Committee"

As Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, is experiencing conflicts with the party leadership over candidate unification, it has been reported that former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo, who was eliminated from the party's primary, insisted that "if the party forcibly replaces the presidential candidate, it must reimburse all campaign expenses incurred by the primary candidates." On the 6th, in an interview with Channel A, Hong stated, "Candidates who made it to the final four in the primary each paid at least 200 million won, and the total amount would exceed 5 billion won," adding, "The party should only replace the candidate after reimbursing these campaign expenses."

Candidate Hong Junpyo, who was eliminated from the third round of the People Power Party's 21st presidential candidate primary, is listening to the finalists' remarks at the People Power Party Central Office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 29th of last month. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

Hong further explained, "There is no provision in our party that allows for the replacement of a candidate elected according to the party constitution and rules, unless the candidate voluntarily resigns." He also said that if Kim were to reach out to him, "I would meet him." According to Channel A, during a phone call with Kim on the previous night, Hong reportedly encouraged Kim by saying, "You would be a fool to step back now."

In a statement released the previous day, Kim criticized the party leadership, saying, "I regret that the party leadership demanded unilateral candidate unification within three days of my nomination as presidential candidate and refused to cooperate with the candidate on party affairs." He urged, "The ongoing infringement of the presidential candidate's priority over party affairs, which has continued since the moment of my nomination, must stop immediately." Regarding the failure of Representative Jang Donghyuk, who served as the head of Kim's campaign, to be appointed as secretary-general, Kim said, "Despite the presidential candidate's repeated requests to appoint Jang as secretary-general, the party leadership failed to comply, effectively resulting in the appointment not taking place." He criticized this as "a serious violation of the party constitution and rules."

The "priority over party affairs" that Kim referred to is a system created directly by Hong Junpyo when he was party leader in 2017. Hong stated, "The priority over party affairs is the exercise of full authority by the presidential candidate," and added, "Based on this authority, Kim has the power to dissolve the current Emergency Committee." He continued, "In the past, the unification between Roh Moo-hyun and Chung Mongjoon took place between two parties, with 'National Integration 21' as an established party. Proposing unification by bringing in an individual like Han Ducksoo would undermine the significance of selecting a presidential candidate within the party." Regarding former President Yoon Sukyeol, Hong reportedly said, "You should apologize a hundred times and retire. Do not interfere in party affairs any further."

People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo is taking a commemorative photo with Emergency Committee Chairman Kwon Youngse and Floor Leader Kwon Seongdong at the 5th Party Convention held on the 3rd at Kintex in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yoon Dongjoo

Kim and the party leadership are in strong conflict over the potential unification with former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo. Previously, the People Power Party announced on the 5th that it would convene a National Committee meeting (on the 8th and 9th) and a party convention (on the 10th and 11th), and on the 6th, it stated that it would conduct a survey of all party members on the key issue of supporting or opposing candidate unification. Emergency Committee Chairman Kwon Youngse, at a general assembly of lawmakers held at the National Assembly at 2 p.m. on the 6th, confirmed the plan for a full party member survey, stating, "The true owners of our party are the members. The path demanded by the members is the path that will save the Republic of Korea."

On this day, Chairman Kwon, together with Floor Leader Kwon Seongdong, boarded a train to Daegu to meet Kim, who was campaigning in the region. Former Prime Minister Han was also scheduled to gather in Daegu, but upon hearing the news, Kim announced the complete suspension of his schedule and returned to Seoul, resulting in the meeting being canceled. It was reported that Kim said, "I will take time alone to reflect."

However, on the night of the same day, Kim's camp announced, "Kim has promised to meet Han alone at 6 p.m. on the 7th," adding, "This meeting was proposed by Kim himself. There should be no further unnecessary debate regarding unification." The camp continued, "The unnecessary public opinion survey announced for tomorrow is an act that harms party unity and must be stopped immediately. The party leadership should no longer intervene in the unification process and must cease all related activities at once. From this moment, the unification process will be led entirely by the presidential candidate."

The camp also stated, "The party must immediately do its utmost to support the presidential candidate, centering on the Central Election Committee, to ensure victory in the election," and added, "Kim plans to meet separately with all candidates who participated in the primary to have in-depth discussions on current issues."