People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo and the party leadership clashed head-on for the second day over the unification with independent preliminary candidate Han Duck-soo.
◇ The first meeting of the election committee fails... Kim's 'displeasure' over the national committee and party convention summons
Candidate Kim criticized the leadership on the 6th, stating that the party does not formally recognize him as its presidential candidate, while the leadership pressured Kim by mentioning 'betrayal of party members and the public.'
Signs of conflict between the two sides became evident from the morning. The People Power Party formed a unification promotion headquarters in response to Kim's requests the previous day, appointing Congressman Yoo Sang-beom as chairperson, while also establishing an election strategy committee.
However, Secretary General Lee Yang-soo stated, "Representative Yoo attempted to hold a meeting of the promotion headquarters this morning and Candidate Han's side was waiting to attend, but Kim's side refused, preventing the first meeting from taking place."
Candidate Kim's side later issued a statement saying, "We promised active support for the candidate, but even now, the party is unilaterally operating while excluding the candidate, effectively showing that it does not recognize me as the official presidential candidate." They noted that the party unilaterally announced the national committee meeting on the 8th-9th and the party convention on the 10th-11th.
The secretary general held a press conference in the National Assembly and said, "This party convention is not for amending party rules and regulations," adding, "If there is unification and Candidate Kim wins, then a convention is unnecessary, but if Candidate Han wins, a convention is required."
Emergency Response Committee Chairperson Kwon Young-se stated during a members' meeting held in the National Assembly that day, "This is a matter of faith, and our party members and the public chose Candidate Kim, trusting in the promise to firmly uphold the unification and the promise to meet with Candidate Han first. If he breaks that faith now, it amounts to betraying the party members and the public, and our citizens will no longer believe in our party and our candidate."
He also stated, "Before discussing the party's priorities, the promises made to the public and party members come first."
Candidate Han Duck-soo also said at the Kwanhun Forum held that day, "Failure to unify would be a great betrayal of the public, and no politician or anyone governing can dare to defy the will of our citizens."
◇ Han Duck-soo and party leadership decided to go to Daegu, but Kim says, 'suspend the primary schedule'
As the conflict between the party's presidential candidate and the leadership surfaced, Chairperson Kwon and Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong, along with Candidate Han, traveled to Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province (TK), where they planned to meet Candidate Kim for persuasion and pressure.
However, Candidate Kim suddenly announced that he would cancel his regional schedule and return to Seoul. This is interpreted as a strong expression of displeasure toward the leadership. Ultimately, the party leadership also turned back.
After visiting the APEC preparation support group in Gyeongju, Candidate Kim met with reporters and expressed his displeasure, saying, "The party that has failed to protect the presidency twice is attempting to bring down its presidential candidate."
He criticized, "They abruptly convened the national committee and the party convention, and I believe the party leadership is trying to forcefully remove me as the legitimate presidential candidate." He continued, "I will suspend my schedule as a candidate from this point forward. I will return to Seoul to prepare thoroughly for various issues that remain."
The People Power Party leadership decided to conduct a public opinion poll on 'whether to support candidate unification.' Additionally, the party's re-elected representatives' group secretary, Eom Tae-young, and the first-term representatives' group secretary, Kim Dae-sik, met with Candidate Kim in Gyeongju that day to convey the opinions urging unification from the first and second-term representatives.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Chungbuk Governor Kim Young-hwan, along with 11 other People Power Party governors, also issued a statement saying, "Candidate Kim and Candidate Han must meet immediately," adding, "Without unification, we cannot win. No one can defy this order."
Yoon Hee-sook, head of the Yeouido Research Institute, stated on Facebook, "If you have no intention to unify, Candidate Kim should step down from his candidacy and clear the way. If the stage has been set and Candidate Kim does not participate in the unification, it is a matter of deceiving party members with lies and passing the primary, and he must be replaced."