SEOUL, May 07 (AJP) - People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo and independent contender Han Duck-soo are set to meet Wednesday evening to discuss the possibility of unifying their campaigns ahead of the June 3 presidential election.
Both camps have confirmed that the meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on May 7, though the location will be disclosed later. With both men seen as key conservative figures, the discussion is drawing attention as a potential step toward forming a single candidacy to take on Democratic Party frontrunner Lee Jae-myung.
Kim, who won the PPP nomination last week, had previously indicated he was open to unification when he was still in the running as a primary candidate. He floated the idea of holding a public debate and using polling to determine who should lead a joint ticket, and said he would take responsibility for driving that effort if named the party nominee.
But since securing the nomination, tensions have grown. Kim pushed back against pressure from party leadership to move quickly on a deal, and over the weekend, he suspended his campaign schedule in protest. That makes Wednesday’s meeting with Han a possible turning point in the conservative camp’s efforts to coordinate.
Meanwhile, the PPP is surveying party members Wednesay through an automated poll (ARS) to measure support for candidate unification. The poll also asks whether any merger should happen before or after official candidate registration, which begins May 10.
The party’s general assembly of lawmakers is also scheduled for the day, with the question of a unified candidacy expected to dominate the agenda.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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