Kim Jonghyuk and Kwon Youngse Clash Over Presidential Candidate Replacement Turmoil
Kim Jonghyuk: "Rumors Abound in Yeouido About People Power Party's Wasted Funds"
Kwon Youngse: "Baseless Slander... Defamation of Party Leadership"
Kim Jonghyuk, former Supreme Council member of the People Power Party and a member of the pro-Han Donghoon faction, publicly questioned Kwon Youngse, who was a member of the party leadership during the recent presidential candidate replacement turmoil. Kim asked, "Is it true, as rumored, that the party spent well over 10 billion won for Han Ducksoo, who was not even a candidate?" In response, on the 15th, Kwon stated that this was "defamation" and announced plans to file a complaint.
Kwon Youngse, then Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is drinking water after expressing his position on the unprecedented presidential candidate replacement at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on May 10. Photo by Yonhap News
On the previous day, Kim wrote on his social networking service (SNS) Facebook, "There are rampant rumors in Yeouido these days about the People Power Party's 'wasted funds.' The party leadership allegedly pre-ordered campaign uniforms with Han Ducksoo's name and even contracted campaign vehicles, only to lose 16 billion won when Han failed to become the candidate. Specific figures are being mentioned."
Kim continued, "Kim Moonsu had already been selected as the candidate, so which daring leader could have ordered the spending of more than 10 billion won of party membership fees and state subsidies for Han Ducksoo, who wasn't even a party member? Still, the questions keep piling up. Is that why the campaign uniforms were not delivered to local party chapters until the day before the campaign?"
Kim further asked, "Did they push for an internal coup within the party to make Han Ducksoo the candidate at all costs because the money had already been spent? In the midst of all this, it is equally puzzling to see Kwon Youngse, the former Emergency Response Committee Chairman, suddenly reacting so aggressively."
He added, "I want to ask Kwon Youngse, who was the Emergency Response Committee Chairman at the time, just one thing. Is it true, as rumored, that the party spent well over 10 billion won for Han Ducksoo, who was not even a candidate, or not? You might say you don't remember well, or that you don't know. If so, why not publicly request a party audit in the name of the Emergency Response Committee Chairman at the time, so that these rumors do not spread further?"
In response to these allegations, Kwon wrote on Facebook that day, "Seeing such baseless slander against me, I am once again reminded of the futility of politics."
Kwon emphasized, "Yoo Iljun, the head of the party audit committee, already clearly stated long ago that the malicious rumor about me or the then-leadership supporting Han Ducksoo with more than 10 billion won is not true. To raise this issue now as if it were new is nothing but a despicable act intended to defame me and the then-leadership while skirting the law."
Kwon added, "I usually do not file complaints. Especially, it is very uncomfortable to file a complaint against a fellow party member. However, in order to protect the honor of myself and our party, I have no choice but to file a complaint."
Previously, on June 27, Yoo Iljun, the committee chairman, announced the interim results of the party audit related to the presidential candidate replacement turmoil. He stated, "There were rumors that party funds were spent on former Prime Minister Han's side before the candidate was confirmed, but upon checking, there was no budget allocated on the premise that Han would be the presidential candidate." However, at the time, Yoo also noted that he had not obtained the minutes of the Emergency Response Committee meeting held on May 10, when the candidate replacement was attempted.
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