Defeat by the Largest Margin Since 1987
Possible Two-Way Race Between Kim and Han
Hong Junpyo Unlikely to Form a New Party
Heeseok Yoon, former spokesperson of the People Power Party, predicted the possibility of a two-way race between former candidate Moonsu Kim and former leader Donghoon Han in the upcoming party leadership contest. While the timing of the party convention remains uncertain, he argued that even if another primary is held, if it cannot be avoided, it must be faced and overcome.
On June 10, Heeseok Yoon appeared on CBS Radio's "Park Jaehong's Hanpan Seungbu" and stated, "I believe Moonsu Kim will enter the party leadership race with a 99.5% probability," adding, "A head-to-head contest with Donghoon Han is also possible. Although there is public concern about such a scenario, if it is unavoidable, we must get through it."
He continued, "For example, the key issue is whether party members and the public participating in opinion polls will accept Moonsu Kim, who is, after all, a general who lost, making another bid for party leadership," and added, "If they accept it, then we proceed as such. In any case, his decision to run is an expression of free will, so it should be respected."
He also emphasized the need for thorough self-reflection, given the party's significant defeat in the presidential election. Yoon stated, "We have no time to worry about the ruling party. Since the constitutional revision in 1987, this is the largest defeat the conservatives have suffered, and it is the second-largest margin in history, having lost by 2.89 million votes," adding, "I remember losing by about 500,000 votes before, but this loss is so significant that we must engage in serious self-reflection."
He further said, "We should not be making excuses like, 'Well, we got over 40%, that's good,' or, 'If we combine Lee Junseok's votes, it's over 25,000 more.' We need to break the calculator. That logic does not apply, and especially for the broader opposition and conservatives, we must find our path forward through such painful reflection."
He also shared his thoughts on the recent demands for Junpyo Hong, former mayor, to establish a new party through online communication channels. Yoon said, "When former mayor Hong responded 'I understand' to the calls for a new party, I interpret it as simply acknowledging the wishes of his supporters," adding, "I think forming a new party is unlikely right now. However, I believe there is a possibility that he could join an existing party."
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