Lee Jun-seok vows to stay in race amid pressure to unite

Reform New Party presidential candidate Lee Jun-seok on Wednesday reaffirmed his intention to remain in the race, declaring, “I will see this through to the end and win under the name of Lee Jun-seok and the Reform New Party.” His statement came as calls intensified from conservatives urging him to unite behind People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo. The move is widely seen as an effort to prevent his support from shifting to Kim.

Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly, Lee said, “On the ballot, voters will clearly see No. 4, Lee Jun-seok of the Reform New Party.” Earlier in the day, he wrote on Facebook, “Too many people are calling with unnecessary political unification talk, so I’ve blocked all incoming calls.”

Meanwhile, the PPP hopes that Kim’s rising approval will increase pressure on Lee to withdraw. Within the party, May 24, the day before ballots are printed, is viewed as the first major deadline for unification. If a candidate withdraws by then, the withdrawal will be noted on both early voting and Election Day ballots. A second deadline is May 28, the day before early voting begins; a withdrawal by that date would only be reflected on early voting ballots. “If unification is possible, we should pursue it even by June 2,” a party official said.

The Democratic Party also moved to counter the unification push. The Reform New Party has filed a complaint accusing Kim and others of attempting to bribe Lee with a promise of future PPP leadership in exchange for dropping out. Democratic Party spokesperson Cho Seung-rae said, “Candidate bribery and inducement are serious crimes. Even an attempt, regardless of whether a withdrawal occurs, is illegal.”


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