Lee Jun-seok: "If Negotiations with Ahn Proceed Without Consulting Presidential Candidate After Primary, Disciplinary Action Will Be Taken"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] On the 3rd, Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, expressed his intention to take disciplinary action if a unification with Ahn Cheol-soo, the People Power Party candidate, is pursued without consulting the presidential candidate.

Through social media (SNS) on the same day, Lee said, "During the Seoul mayoral by-election, although they belonged to the party and the party's candidate was decided, everyone will remember the behavior of those who did not support the party's candidate but sided with an outside candidate to seek party leadership," adding, "No matter what negotiations are made with other political forces, the candidate must act according to the candidate's will."

This statement by Lee appears to express his determination not to tolerate situations where, after the party primary ends, the losing side's camp supports another party's candidate instead of the party's presidential candidate.

Earlier, Lee also revealed this policy in an interview with a media outlet.

He introduced, "After the primary ended during the last Seoul mayoral by-election, Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was the party's candidate, was very disappointed," and explained, "Although he was decided as the party's candidate, many of those who supported Na Kyung-won went to Leader Ahn, who was then the candidate of the People’s Party."

He continued, "That is actually a violation," and said, "I don't know who our candidate will be this time, but from the moment the candidate is decided, starting the next day, we will agree with the candidate that anyone who acts as a broker for unification with (Leader Ahn Cheol-soo's side) without prior consultation with the party leadership or the candidate will be disciplined as a violator." Lee added, "If there is anyone who blindly follows and acts as a broker during the presidential election, that person will be committing an unprecedented violation, and I am sure such a person will appear. The moment they appear, we will deal with it severely as a warning to others."

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