The Battle for Opposition Candidate Unification Begins... "Rush the Polls" vs "Untact Citizen Primary"

Disagreements Over Candidate Unification Methods and Inclusion of Party Names in Polls

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The tussle between the People Power Party and the People’s Party over unifying opposition candidates is intensifying. While the People’s Party is pushing for a swift resolution on the polling method, the People Power Party is advocating for an untact (contactless) citizen primary election method.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the 9th, Lee Tae-gyu, Secretary General of the People’s Party and head of candidate Ahn’s negotiation team, held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office, stating, “We request the People Power Party’s unification negotiation team to actively engage in discussions today.” Lee emphasized, “Considering the candidate registration deadline, we do not have much time left,” and added, “Negotiations must be expedited to alleviate supporters’ anxieties.”

He explained, “Many people still believe that unifying opposition candidates will be difficult,” and said, “If negotiations conclude early, it will instill confidence of victory among opposition supporters.”

On the other hand, Kim Geun-sik, Director of Vision Strategy at the People Power Party, who is preparing unification strategies, said via social media, “The negotiation team was finalized yesterday, and I understand there will be a meeting between the two party leaders today,” adding, “You cannot sew a needle’s eye with a thread tied to a needle’s eye.”

Kim criticized the People’s Party’s demand for a polling method as “desperate,” stating, “Alongside a thousand telephone respondents deciding the unified opposition candidate, the untact citizen participation method, with hundreds of thousands of opposition supporters voluntarily participating, will unite the entire opposition base from centrists to Taegeukgi supporters, enhance competitiveness to defeat the Democratic Party in the general election, and ensure acceptance of the unification results, thereby maximizing the convention effect within the limited unification timeframe given to the opposition.”

Regarding accusations of lacking negotiation willingness, he said, “Our party has already secured safe numbers to allow polling until the 18th or 19th,” assuring, “There is no need to worry about not conducting polls due to safe numbers.”

He also raised concerns about conducting polls without party symbols. Kim stated, “Oh Se-hoon is the official candidate of the People Power Party, and Ahn Cheol-soo is the official candidate of the People’s Party,” and questioned, “How can there be a proposal to exclude party names when unifying one of the two party candidates?”

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