It was claimed that the camp of Lee Jun-seok, the Reform Party presidential candidate, proposed unifying conservative candidates with Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate, while pro-Yoon figures suggested securing party leadership.
Lee Dong-hoon, director of the Reform Party's election strategy committee, said on the 21st on Facebook, “Recently, figures from the People Power Party have been calling Lee Jun-seok’s camp to propose unification. Most of them are pro-Yoon figures,” adding, “These people say, ‘We will give you party leadership if we unify’ and ‘Come in and take over the party.’”
The director said, “These people are anxious about whether former People Power Party representative Han Dong-hoon will take over the party leadership after the presidential election. They think it’s better for Lee Jun-seok to take the leadership instead. They seem to be trying to set up a frame in advance that even if they lose the election, it was because ‘Lee Jun-seok refused to unify.’ It looks like they are trying to create an alibi to avoid responsibility for the defeat.”
Lee Jun-seok responded to the director's remarks, saying, “No one has said that to me,” but added, “It’s not the time to talk about leadership. I’ve been the representative of the People Power Party, so I have no illusions about party leadership.”
The Democratic Party of Korea announced legal action, alleging that the People Power Party attempted to bribe its candidates.
Jo Seung-rae, chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party’s election committee, noted, “If true, it would constitute bribery of candidates and inducement of interests. We will report the People Power Party for violating the Public Official Election Act and hold them accountable,” and urged, “Clarify transparently whether the illegal unification proposal is true.”