Kim Jong-in "Candidates Who Can't Debate Are Not Acceptable" Ahn Cheol-soo "Stubbornness Causes Opposition Supporters to Sigh"

An "Just trying to align unification schedule... No avoidance of debate"
Kim "Must present party symbol and name, not a natural person candidate"

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 15th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporters Hyunju Lee and Juni Park] Ahn Cheol-soo, the People's Party candidate for Seoul mayor, on the 15th strongly opposed Kim Jong-in, the Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, who criticized him by saying, "A person who cannot even properly debate cannot become a candidate for Seoul mayor," calling it "truly insulting."

On the same day, Ahn stated on his Facebook, "I only suggested having debates according to the unification schedule, and there is no fact that I avoided debates," adding, "I do not understand where such absurd remarks come from or what the intention behind them is."

He continued, "Isn't it common sense that mutual respect between unification candidates in the opposition is in line with the purpose of unification and can unite both sides' supporters to create synergy?" and pointed out, "I hope you understand that many opposition supporters are sighing at Chairman Kim's stubbornness and emotional remarks."

Earlier, Chairman Kim targeted Ahn by saying, "A person who cannot even properly debate cannot become a candidate for Seoul mayor." Regarding Ahn's side's claim to remove the party name and candidate number when running for election, he also said, "What kind of person so lacking in confidence would want to run?"

Kim Jong-in, Chairman of the People Power Party's Central Election Countermeasures Committee, is delivering an opening remark at the 1st Seoul Donghaeng Meeting of the 4.7 By-election Central Election Countermeasures Committee held at the Central Party Office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 15th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the morning of the same day, at the first Seoul Together meeting of the party's Central Election Countermeasures Committee held at the Yeouido Central Party Office, Chairman Kim said, "I think it is natural that candidates must have a certain number of debates during the unification process," adding, "Negotiations that avoid such (debates) cannot be made."

Regarding the 'party name and candidate number notation,' he emphasized, "Our party designated Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayor candidate, as People Power Party candidate number 2, not Oh Se-hoon as a natural person," and added, "The other side is the same; they are candidates who put forward their party's number and name, not natural person candidates."

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