The People Power Party leadership is urging independent presidential candidate Han Duck-soo to unite and is pressuring presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo. Party elders have even warned of a hunger strike to advocate for the unification.
Candidates Kim Moon-soo and Han Duck-soo will hold a private dinner meeting to discuss unification on the evening of the 7th in the Jongno-gu area of Seoul. Han stated during a press conference that afternoon, "If unification does not occur, I will not register as a candidate for president," thus drawing a line in the sand.
Kweon Seong-dong, the People Power Party floor leader, emphasized, "We must finalize the unification today" while directing his remarks toward presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, adding, "Winning the presidential election is our duty to the party members and citizens."
Earlier, the People Power Party's floor leadership visited Kim's camp to urge his participation in a party meeting, but he did not attend the meeting room, citing other commitments.
He noted, "Unification for victory and integration for victory is a promise made by our candidate, Mr. Kim, to the people," and added, "The longer the unification debate drags on, the more it will only amplify disappointment and fatigue."
Kweon, the floor leader, further stated, "I humbly ask all party members and citizens to regard the call for democracy and the removal of Lee Jae-myung's dictatorial forces with gravity, and to ensure we uphold this intent."
You Joon-sang, the People Power Party senior advisor, held a press conference at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, in the afternoon, stating, "Unification is the order of the citizens and party members," and urged, "We must achieve unification across the conservative spectrum without being constrained by means and methods. Anyone who opposes unification would be betraying the citizens and party members."
You, the senior advisor, announced that he would begin a hunger strike from that day alongside Kim Moo-sung until unification is achieved. He expressed, "Since both candidates, Kim Moon-soo and Han Duck-soo, are demonstrating their willingness for unification, I strongly urge meaningful progress in today's meeting."
You Heung-soo, another senior advisor, commented on the hunger strike, stating, "No matter who becomes the candidate, this is a very urgent and earnest plea from the senior advisors to please achieve unification." Shin Gyeong-sik, also a senior advisor, remarked, "Anyone among the candidates, Kim Moon-soo or Han Duck-soo, is fine."
Kim Moo-sung, a senior advisor, explained, "Political parties exist to conduct elections, and the biggest election is the presidential election. We set out to fast only with those whose health permits, and we have no preference over who will be the candidate. Unification of conservative right candidates is the way to win the election."