Tensions Rise in South Korea's PPP as Presidential Candidates Clash Ahead of Election

Internal Strife in the People Power Party

Seoul: The race for the presidency in South Korea is heating up as Kim Moon-soo, the candidate from the People Power Party (PPP), and interim party leader Kwon Young-se engaged in a heated exchange regarding a proposed merger of their campaigns with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. This confrontation marks a significant moment in the lead-up to the June 3 election.

The disagreement arose just before the PPP was set to announce the results of a two-day opinion poll assessing the popularity of Kim versus Han, as reported by a local news agency.

During a meeting with party lawmakers, Kim voiced his concerns, stating, "The forced merger pushed by the party leadership is merely an attempt to eliminate me and position an independent candidate as the party's nominee. I cannot accept this." This meeting was notable as it was Kim's first since securing the party's nomination earlier this month.

Kwon responded to Kim's comments with disappointment, asserting that a true leader must be willing to set aside personal interests for the greater good.

As the election approaches, Kim, a former labor minister, has been vocal about his opposition to the party's leadership pushing for a merger with Han, who is running as an independent candidate. This reflects a deepening divide within the conservative party, with only 25 days remaining until the election.

Kim and Han attempted to negotiate a unification of their candidacies during their second round of talks on Thursday, but these discussions ended without a resolution.

The upcoming presidential election aims to find a successor to the ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faced backlash over a failed martial law proposal. The PPP remains divided on its stance regarding Yoon's removal.

The opinion polls will weigh party member votes and public opinion equally, each contributing 50% to the final results.

In light of the ongoing tensions, Kim has canceled campaign events in Daegu and Busan, choosing instead to focus on addressing the leadership's demands and Han's merger proposal.

Since being named the presidential candidate, Kim has found himself at odds with the party leadership, which is urging him to consolidate his campaign with Han.

Han has set a deadline of May 11 for finalizing the merger to ensure that one candidate can represent the PPP without splitting conservative votes, especially against Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, who currently leads in the polls.

Han has indicated that he will not enter the presidential race unless an agreement is reached with the PPP regarding the unification of their candidacies.

In contrast, Kim has suggested that both he and Han should campaign separately for a week before engaging in a televised debate and conducting public opinion polls to determine the candidate for the party.