On the 19th, the first debate of the People Power Party presidential primary was held, where Ahn Cheol-soo, considered a pro-impeachment candidate, clashed with Kim Moon-soo, a prominent anti-impeachment candidate, over the defense of the emergency martial law declared by former President Yoon Seok-youl.
The two candidates assigned to Group A at the People Power Party's first primary debate faced off in a leading debate held that afternoon at ASSA Art Hall in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Yoo Jeong-bok and Yang Hyang-ja were also assigned to Group A.
Candidate Ahn asked Candidate Kim, 'You opposed former President Yoon's impeachment, but did you apologize to the public as a member of the cabinet after the impeachment?' Kim responded, 'I have never apologized.'
Candidate Ahn then noted, 'That is the issue,' stating, 'The Democratic Party of Korea's strategy is to lead the next presidential election as "Lee Jae-myung versus Yoon Seok-youl," and if there is no reflection or apology from us, we will ultimately fail to break away from this structure.' He continued, 'Since the president was removed through emergency martial law, and there is no reflection or apology, the Democratic Party is pushing us as a 'martial law defense party'. Many citizens are being convinced by this narrative, and we must break free from it.'
Candidate Ahn also stated, 'It is important to accept the Constitutional Court's 8 to 0 ruling.' He added, 'Isn't that the attitude of adhering to the values of the Constitution and constitutional order? I am worried about how we can ask the public for votes while damaging constitutional values by defending emergency martial law.'
In response to Candidate Ahn's claims, Candidate Kim replied, 'Why did the president impose martial law? The Democratic Party has pushed for impeachment thirty times and frequently calls for special investigations.' He continued, 'I have no choice but to accept the impeachment ruling, but procedurally, there were many issues as they initially included and then removed insurrection. I am not someone who has supported or endorsed martial law. However, the responsibility for the unfortunate circumstances that forced the president to declare emergency martial law lies with the Democratic Party.'
◇ Kim: 'Permanent deployment of U.S. strategic assets rather than nuclear development.' Ahn: 'Big deal possible with Trump, as a fellow alumnus.'
Meanwhile, the four candidates in Group A also shared their visions regarding diplomacy and security during the debate.
Candidate Kim stated, 'We need to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance by permanently rotating U.S. strategic assets to enhance deterrence against North Korean nuclear threats,' and added, 'We need to effectively counter various threats from North Korea, China, and Russia under the Korea-U.S.-Japan alliance framework.'
He commented on the calls from some party members for autonomous nuclear development, saying, 'While it sounds like a political slogan, it is not practical,' and emphasized, 'We should either elevate the reprocessing level like Japan or closely cooperate with the United States to enhance South Korea's nuclear defense capabilities and response capabilities, and alleviate concerns about nuclear weapons.'
In response to a question about how he would handle a situation where the Trump administration sought dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Candidate Kim replied, 'There may be backdoor dealings for a justification to jointly receive the Nobel Peace Prize in nuclear reduction between Kim and former President Trump. The U.S. government trusts Kim Moon-soo the most,' adding, 'I have established a trust relationship with key personnel around President Trump.'
Candidate Ahn announced that, as alumni of the University of Pennsylvania like President Trump and Elon Musk, a 'big deal' is possible through their connections. He stated, 'It's not just about giving to the U.S. as individual companies, but rather we should receive what we can from the U.S. at a larger scale.' He said he would 'immediately go to the U.S. to negotiate with President Trump' if he is elected.
Candidate Yoo stated, 'I attended President Trump's inauguration in January and met with Mark Burns, the chairman of the inaugural committee, and members of Congress, and visited the Heritage Foundation and the Center for Strategic and International Studies to sufficiently discuss Korea-U.S. relations. If I become president, I am ready to meet President Trump immediately and discuss these issues candidly.'
Candidate Yang remarked, 'Diplomacy, security, and defense without semiconductor hegemony are impossible,' and stressed, 'Ultimately, our only weapon at this point is semiconductor hegemony.' He added, 'Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is pleading before President Trump because there is no technological hegemony,' and noted, 'There are also AI shields, bio shields, mobility shields, and robotic shields. We must not pass war onto the next generation.'