When to Watch Lee Jae-myung and Yoon Seok-yeol's Head-to-Head Debate... Ruling Party Says "Also Available on the 18th"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, and Yoon Seok-youl, the People Power Party presidential candidate, are attending a media event held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 24th, greeting each other. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, has conveyed to the broadcasters that he is also available on the 18th for the TV debate. If candidate Yoon Seok-yeol's side accepts this date, a head-to-head debate between the two candidates could be held as early as the 18th of this month.

On the 11th, Kwon Hyuk-ki, spokesperson for the Democratic Party's election campaign committee, told reporters at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, "Among the broadcasters who requested the TV debate, the earliest date is the 18th at KBS," adding, "We responded to the broadcaster that we would participate promptly." Kwon said, "KBS proposed three to four dates, and we expressed our intention to accept the earliest date among them," and added, "If the candidates' circumstances require proposing dates after that, we will negotiate and decide accordingly."

However, since the ruling and opposition parties are engaged in a dispute over whether the schedule for the broadcaster-led working-level meeting was shared, it is uncertain whether the date will be agreed upon smoothly. After the Democratic Party claimed that the People Power Party did not attend the meeting held the previous day at the broadcaster's request, the People Power Party immediately rebutted, saying, "We were never notified of the meeting date."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, Kwon said, "The People Power Party's working-level staff from Yoon Seok-yeol's side reportedly did not come to the meeting," and "I heard that Yoon's side said the plan has not been decided yet." The opposition party denied this, saying, "That is not true." Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the People Power Party's election campaign committee, said, "The People Power Party has never been notified by the broadcaster of the working-level meeting date that the Democratic Party attended," and added, "It is regrettable that the proposal for a public debate by a political party was disparaged with falsehoods." She urged, "Do not take lightly the presidential election that concerns all citizens and the future of the Republic of Korea, and we urge Lee Jae-myung's side to respond honestly and openly to the debate proposed by candidate Yoon."

Kim also said, "We ask Lee Jae-myung's side to come out to negotiate immediately regarding Yoon's debate proposal," and added, "Rather than a debate through a specific broadcaster, we believe it is desirable to hold a public debate between the two candidates based on mutual agreement."

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, held a New Year's press conference on the 4th at the Kia Motors factory in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, under the theme "Vision for Korea's Great Transformation and National Leap Forward." Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

In response, the Democratic Party rebutted again, intensifying the dispute. Park Chan-dae, chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party's election campaign committee, said, "The official letter sent by KBS to our campaign committee clearly states that the briefing session with the candidate's participation will be held 'at 2 p.m. on the 10th at the KBS Election Broadcasting Planning Team,'" and added, "Given that the official letter specifies the date and time, I cannot understand Kim Eun-hye's claim."

He said, "According to the Public Official Election Act, the organizer of candidate invitation debates is not the political party but the media organization," and "Only the National Election Commission and media organizations can host debates." He criticized, "If they did not know this common-sense fact about elections, it is ignorance; if they knew and still acted that way, it is shamelessness." Park added, "It is not the first time that Yoon's side has changed its stance on the TV debate," saying, "At first, they said, 'Why debate with a confirmed criminal?' then later said they would only debate about Daejang-dong." He also said, "They suddenly changed their position, saying that three legal debates are insufficient to verify pledges, but ultimately did not respond to the working-level negotiations for the debate."

Meanwhile, regarding the three legally mandated debates, the National Election Commission has finalized the schedule for the debates starting with the economic sector on the 21st of next month, followed by the political sector on the 25th, and the social sector debate on March 2.

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