People Power Party Offers 'Blank Check' to Lee Jun-seok: "Name Your Terms, We'll Give Everything"

[Financial News] The People Power Party on the 26th essentially offered a blank check to the Reform New Party, asking them to "present the preconditions for unification."

Kim Yong-tae, the head of the People Power Party's emergency response committee, said at the emergency committee meeting that day, "We fully respect Lee Jun-seok's statement that he does not consider unification," but added, "Lee Jun-seok also said he must prevent Lee Jae-myung (Democratic Party candidate) from taking power. In that case, we are certainly not on the other side."

Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, is betting everything on unification, buoyed by rising approval ratings. Kim's camp chief of staff, Kim Jae-won, said on MBC Radio, "If Lee Jun-seok agrees to unification, we are prepared to negotiate with the determination to give up anything except the presidential candidacy," sending a love call.

Later, appearing on a general programming channel, Chairman Kim mentioned the rise in approval ratings for Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party candidate, and the normalization of party-government relations, saying, "I think the conditions for unification are ripe now." Regarding the method of unification, he said, "I think a 100% open public opinion poll is the fairest way."

A People Power Party official said, "If Lee Jun-seok is aiming for the next presidency, he will eventually have to join the People Power Party. It cannot be done with the Reform New Party," adding, "The current presidential unification is the best justification to return naturally." The official also said, "If Kim publicly reveals the proposals for a coalition government, there will be no other talk after the election."

However, Lee Jun-seok firmly drew the line at a forum hosted by the Korea Broadcasting Journalists Club in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, saying, "The possibility of unification by resigning for Kim Moon-soo is 0%."

He further denied unification, saying, "I hear a lot of threats these days, like if we don't unify, it will be considered your fault, and you'll be buried in the political world."

He added, "We fought against such coercion and old-school politics in that party and created a new party," and "I cannot make a decision that denies my original intentions."

On the same day, Lee sent text messages and emails to about 110,000 party members, emphasizing, "If unification happens, it will only be because the People Power Party's candidate resigns."



moon@fnnews.com Moon Young-jin Reporter