Progressive Party: "Kim Moonsoo Is a Successor to Chun Doohwan's Insurrectionist Party... Dissolution Is Inevitable"

Lee: "Protecting Insurrection Leader Yoon Sukyeol"
Kim: "Lee Jaemyung's Joint Nomination Is Insurrection"

On the 24th, the Progressive Party criticized, "Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party candidate, shamelessly and brazenly displayed the qualities of a direct successor to Chun Doohwan, who seized power through a military coup and the Gwangju massacre, during the second televised debate." The party added, "This time, he will not be able to avoid the process of dissolution."

Kim Moonsoo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is speaking at the 2nd candidate debate for the 21st presidential election hosted by the National Election Commission, held at the KBS headquarters studio in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on the 23rd. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Association

Hong Seongkyu, chief spokesperson of the Progressive Party, stated in a commentary on the same day, "When asked whether he would sever ties with forces of insurrection such as Yoon Sukyeol and Jeon Gwanghoon, Kim avoided giving a direct answer and instead suddenly claimed that the Progressive Party is the successor to Lee Seokki's Unified Progressive Party, calling that treason?a completely illogical argument."

Chief spokesperson Hong added, "The political retaliation carried out by the National Intelligence Service, which acted as an extension of the dictator Park Geunhye, was precisely the forced dissolution of the Unified Progressive Party, which was then the third-largest party in the National Assembly." He also pointed out, "The conspiracy to commit insurrection, which was forcibly attached, was even deleted by the Supreme Court ruling at the time."

Previously, Lee Jaemyung, the Democratic Party candidate, said to Kim during the presidential TV debate the day before, "You continue to defend Yoon Sukyeol, the former president and ringleader of the insurrection. Do you have any intention of severing ties with him?" He continued, "I would also like to ask if you have any intention of severing ties with far-right forces such as Jeon Gwanghoon."

Kim responded, "Didn't candidate Lee form a joint nomination with the Progressive Party in last year's general election and help elect a member of the National Assembly in Buk-gu, Ulsan? That is exactly what I call insurrection." He added, "Isn't the Democratic Party itself the successor to the Unified Progressive Party, and didn't they give parliamentary seats to the Progressive Party? What are those people doing? They are completely defending North Korea."