Meeting of Six Presidential Candidates

Six presidential candidates of the grand union of liberal politicians attended a round-table meeting in the National Assembly on July 4, and agreed on the selection of a single candidate for the coming presidential election though holding primaries.

They all agreed to participate in creating a new political party, including the grand union, many of whom recently defected from the Uri Party.

This meeting was held at former Uri chairman Kim Geun-tae’s invitation and was attended by former Gyeonggi governor Sohn Hak-gyu, former Uri chairman Chung Dong-young, former Prime Ministers Lee Hae-chan and Han Myeong-sook, Uri party lawmaker Kim Hyeok-gyu and former Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae.

Rev. Park Hyeong-gyu and Father Kim Byeong-sang also participated in the meeting, representing civic groups.

After the meeting, they made the following announcement: “For the presidential victory of liberal, peace-oriented, and reformist groups, we agree on selecting a single candidate from one party through primaries and participate in creating a new party, encompassing like-minded people.”

The Uri Party and its defectors, who plan to create a new party in mid-July, will entrust the National Election Commission with the management of primaries and select a single candidate till mid October.

The Centrist United Democratic Party’s vice spokesperson, Kim Jae-doo, condemned the meeting saying, “The round-table meeting of six candidates is like building castles in the sky.”

yongari@donga.com