Lee Junseok Says "No Unification With Kim Moonsoo... It Would Appear Outdated"

Lee: "To Block Lee Jaemyung, Voters Must Rally Behind Lee Junseok"

On May 20, Lee Junseok, the presidential candidate of the Reform New Party, drew a clear line regarding the possibility of unifying candidacies with Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, stating, "I have absolutely no intention of doing so, because the procedures and process itself would appear extremely outdated."

Lee made this comment during an interview on SBS Radio when the host asked, "Isn't it possible that if unification happens with candidate Kim, you could win as the unified candidate?"

When the host pressed further, asking, "Even if Lee Jaemyung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, sees his approval rating drop to the 40% range, and the combined approval ratings of you and Kim surpass Lee's, would you still refuse to unify?" Lee replied, "I have no intention of doing so."

When asked whether he might consider unification if the so-called 'Yoonhaekgwan' (key associates of former President Yoon Sukyeol) apologized, Lee emphasized, "I have never set such a precondition. I do not expect it either."

Referring to the 'Dongtan model,' in which Lee won the last general election under a three-way race, he asserted, "There is no formula for victory other than that. Even those who want to block candidate Lee Jaemyung have no formula for victory other than that model."

Yonhap News Agency

Previously, in the 22nd general election held in April last year, Lee ran in the Hwaseong-eul district of Gyeonggi Province and was elected after defeating Ko Youngwoon, the former Democratic Party candidate who had double Lee's approval rating in the first opinion poll.

Lee appealed for support, saying, "Unless we draw in votes from the younger generation and bring down Lee Jaemyung's approval rating, which is in the high 40% range, nothing else matters. It is not possible to defeat Lee Jaemyung through candidate Kim. Voters must rally behind Lee Junseok."

Regarding the declarations of support for Lee Jaemyung by former members of the Reform New Party?Kim Yongnam, former lawmaker; Heo Euna, former party leader; and Moon Byeongho, former lawmaker?Lee said, "They have something in common: they wanted proportional representation seats in the last general election but did not receive them. There is no wavering among the members of the Reform New Party," denying the 'real big tent' claimed by candidate Lee Jaemyung and the Democratic Party.