Negotiations Suspended After About 40 Minutes
The working-level negotiations for candidate unification between Kim Moonsoo, former presidential candidate of the People Power Party, and Han Ducksoo, preliminary presidential candidate, have once again broken down. The talks were suspended after about 40 minutes.
According to political sources on the 10th, delegations from both sides held closed-door unification negotiations starting at around 6:50 p.m. that day, but failed to reach an agreement. Representing Kim Moonsoo's side were two people, including Chief of Staff Kim Jaewon, while Han Ducksoo's side was represented by two people, including former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Son Youngtaek. In addition, Cho Junghoon, Vice President for Strategy and Planning of the People Power Party, and Park Sumin, party spokesperson, were also present.
Kim Jaewon, Chief of Staff, told reporters that senior party members had proposed a split of 50% public opinion polls without a question to prevent strategic voting and 50% with such a question. He said, "We have conceded half, but Han Ducksoo's side insisted they could not accept even 1% of polls with a question to prevent strategic voting, and instead proposed a K-voting method with a full party member vote." He added, "It seems they believe they do not need to listen to our position because, according to their scenario, Han Ducksoo will be nominated as the candidate anyway." He firmly stated there was "no" possibility of further negotiations.
Yoon Kichan, policy spokesperson for Han Ducksoo, said, "There is no reason to avoid a party member vote," adding, "When dealing with an independent candidate, the decision-making process should be different, and the fairest way is to confirm the will of every party member individually." He explained that since Han Ducksoo has joined the People Power Party, a full party member vote is the appropriate procedure rather than the existing method.
Meanwhile, senior figures in the People Power Party once again urged both sides to resume unification negotiations. On the afternoon of the same day, lawmakers Na Kyungwon, Lee Jongbae, Park Daechul, and Lee Manhee visited Han Ducksoo's campaign office for a closed-door meeting that lasted about 50 minutes. They presented a mediation proposal and requested that efforts for unification be resumed.
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