Jung Bong-ju Followed by Cho Jung-hoon, Woo Sang-ho Says, "Unification Agreement Extension... Preemptive Consolidation of the Pan-Liberal Camp"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Woo Sang-ho, the Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul mayoral candidate, who agreed on candidate unification with Jeong Bong-ju, the Open Democratic Party's preliminary candidate, on the premise of a two-party merger, will meet Cho Jung-hoon, the candidate of the Transition Korea Party, on the 8th to kindle the fire for unification and solidarity of the pan-progressive camp.

The Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul mayoral primary candidate and Jeong Bong-ju, the Open Democratic Party's Seoul mayoral primary candidate, are announcing their agreement to unify the pro-government camp's Seoul mayoral candidates at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

On the 7th, Woo said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "In line with the unification agreement with candidate Jeong Bong-ju, I will also meet Representative Cho Jung-hoon," adding, "However, it is not to reach a concrete (unification) agreement, but a meeting arranged with the intention of communicating through policy discussions and finding common ground."

Woo said, "It will be a pleasant debate format, a way to share concerns together," and added, "Nothing has been decided yet on what to do afterward, but I have fully conveyed the intention that I hope the pan-progressive camp will share the same will."

He continued, "Assuming that I become the candidate, I am planning unification with the Open Democratic Party, and I told candidate Cho that it has made considerable progress," and said, "But basically, we must unite the supporters of the Open Democratic Party, the Justice Party, and Transition Korea to win, and only then can the reform agenda advance further."

On the same day, Woo appeared on TBS Kim Eo-jun's News Factory and said about the unification issue, "We must prepare for opposition unification," and added, "We need to work on pre-unifying the pan-progressive camp, including the Democratic Party of Korea, the Open Democratic Party, and Transition Korea."

Woo emphasized, "If we lose the Seoul mayoral election, we know that President Moon Jae-in will face a lame-duck period, so now is not the time to consider sides or advantages and disadvantages."

He also expressed the view that the discussion should expand beyond candidate unification to party merger talks.

Woo stressed, "If it stops at candidate unification, the supporters of the losing side in the unification game will not fully transfer their votes," and added, "If we merge parties, more supporters will vote with the mindset that we are one family."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.