Lee Jun-seok Rejects Possibility of Unification with Kim Moon-soo
On the last day to mark "resignation" for candidates on the presidential ballot, October 24, Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate of the Reform Party, strongly denied the possibility of unification with Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, stating, "I will not work with insurrectionist forces."
After the second television debate hosted by the National Election Commission on October 23, Lee posted on his Facebook, "I will not work with insurrectionist forces that caused a military coup after 40 years."
This is a direct rebuttal to Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, who mentioned after the debate, "I predict that Lee Jun-seok will eventually seek unification with insurrectionist forces."
People Power Party Continues Outreach for Unification
Lee Jun-seok also dismissed the possibility of unification with Kim Moon-soo during a meeting with reporters after the debate. He strongly criticized Lee Jae-myung's mentioning of the unification issue with Kim, calling it "Lee Jae-myung's delusion."
Regarding the proposal for a joint government suggested by Kim Yong-tae, the chairman of the emergency response committee of the People Power Party, he stated, "I don't know what People Power Party members are talking about, nor do I care," and dismissed the suggestion.
On the other hand, the People Power Party continues to reach out to Lee Jun-seok, leaving the possibility of last-minute unification open.
After the debate, Kim Moon-soo expressed, "(Lee Jun-seok) was originally from the same party and shares the same roots, but we've just parted ways for now," showing a gesture of reconciliation.
He emphasized, "Nothing is certain in politics; things that seem impossible one day can be possible the next. Politics is highly dynamic and fluid," leaving the door open for unification.
Kim Yong-tae also proposed two principles for unification on the 23rd: "forming a joint government" or "selecting a unified candidate through a 100% open national primary," stating, "I request that we move forward together toward victory through overwhelming unification."
The People Power Party maintains that unification must occur before early voting begins on the 29th.
Image source: Reform Party presidential candidate Lee Jun-seok / News1, Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, and Lee Jun-seok, presidential candidate of the Reform Party, speaking at the 45th anniversary memorial ceremony for the May 18 Democratic Uprising held at the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery in Gwangju North District / News1
