Kim Moon-soo and Han Dong-hoon, candidates for the People Power Party presidential primary, engaged in a heated debate on the 24th regarding their positions on the December 3 emergency martial law situation and the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, as well as their relationship with Yoon.
On this day, at the Channel A studio in Jongno District, Seoul, during the second primary 'one-on-one debate,' Candidate Kim brought up the issue of 'martial law accountability' while mentioning his acquaintance with former President Yoon.
Candidate Kim stated, "(In the past) President Yoon Suk-yeol said about Candidate Han that he was a junior who wouldn't hurt his eyes even if inserted into them," adding, "If I were in a close and unhurt relationship with the president like Candidate Han, I would have advised the president to perform state affairs much better and would have prevented martial law."
In response, Candidate Han said, "How can I stop martial law if I don't know whether it will be declared?"
As the debate continued, Candidate Kim raised the issue of accountability once again. He remarked, "At least I understand that the relationship between our President Yoon Suk-yeol and Candidate Han is closer than brotherly. It is truly regrettable that such a relationship has come to the extent of impeachment and arrest, to the level where they cannot even communicate."
He further stated, "If we were to hold someone accountable for all the processes leading to the president's martial law and dismissal, wouldn't Candidate Han be the most responsible?"
In response, Candidate Han retorted, "Shouldn't someone who had a brotherly relationship stop martial law?" He added, "What is truly regrettable is that when the president continued to be obstinate, no one in the People Power Party, except me, worked to change the president's mind," and stated, "I believe many politicians who did not step forward when I tried to correct the president's mistakes are responsible. One of them could be Candidate Kim."
Candidate Kim pointed out that despite Candidate Han receiving the trust of former President Yoon, he took the lead in the impeachment. He said, "Former President Yoon appointed a junior who wouldn't hurt his eyes even if inserted into them as Minister of Justice and made someone who has never participated in the party's politics the chairman of the emergency countermeasures committee. Yet Candidate Han impeached former President Yoon," asking, "Does he personally harbor resentment toward Yoon?"
In response, Candidate Han refuted, "I do not consider public office as a personal gift. I have truly done my best in a public position," and added, "If I become president, I will not demand such loyalty from anyone I appoint."
Candidate Kim criticized Candidate Han's push for impeachment and also mentioned Lee Jae-myung, a candidate in the Democratic Party presidential primary.
He said, "Candidate Lee Jae-myung hospitalized himself forcibly because his own brother politically opposed him," adding, "How is Candidate Han declaring impeachment and defining it as a rebellion any different from Lee Jae-myung?" Candidate Han retorted, "That's a really big leap."
Candidate Han attacked Candidate Kim regarding his relationship with Jeon Kwang-hoon, pastor of Sarang First Church, who has been leading the 'Anti-Impeachment Rally.' Pastor Jeon declared recently, "The eight candidates from the People Power Party will never be elected."
Candidate Han pointed out that Candidate Kim praised Jeon Kwang-hoon as a 'pastor defending liberal democracy' back in February this year.
In response, Candidate Kim stated, "I believe he is really a pastor defending liberal democracy. So is he a socialist pastor?" and argued that "stating that someone is not a defender of liberal democracy simply because they want to defeat candidates from other parties is fundamentally different."