ED Patching up feud

Yoon should work together with PPP chief

Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), has managed to avoid the worst-case scenario, by agreeing to end his feud with PPP leader Lee Jun-seok. The move came Thursday, one day after Yoon disbanded his bloated election committee and formed a streamlined campaign team.

Yoon and Chairman Lee reached a surprise agreement to mend their relationship and work together to win the presidential election. It is fortunate that the party has managed to patch up its internal dispute, though belated. It is also good to see PPP lawmakers drop their proposal to impeach Lee over his conflicts with Yoon, as the two moved toward reconciliation at the last minute.

The patch-up agreement is likely to mark a turnaround for Yoon, who wants to keep his distance from the conservative party's influence and stand on his own for the remainder of the race. In fact, Yoon's public support rate has plunged amid the party's factional infighting and power struggles. His continued controversial remarks and the allegations about his family's misdeeds have also made many people, particularly centrist voters, shift their support to other candidates.

Now it is imperative for Yoon to take direct control over his campaign headquarters and rally party members behind him. However, there are still some worries that the PPP's internal rifts might reemerge at any time because the rival factions of the party do not appear to have buried the hatchet once and for all. Some of the lawmakers, who proposed the ousting of Lee, expressed their disappointment with the patch-up, holding Lee accountable for Yoon's falling support rate.

Yoon should take all responsibility for the current turmoil. He has failed to exercise his leadership properly to overcome internal discord and unite the party ahead of the March 9 election. He cannot win the election without active support from all members of the party. At stake is how Yoon can bring all party members together to achieve a common goal. He has promised to start over from scratch to win back the hearts and minds of the people, particularly those in their 20s and 30s. However, this is easier said than done.

Now is the time for Yoon to change himself to regain public trust. He entered politics in protest against the Moon Jae-in administration's hypocrisy after stepping down as prosecutor general in March 2021. He had enjoyed a high level of public support thanks to his advocacy for fairness and common sense. But he has disappointed many of his supporters over the PPP's internal disputes and his lack of leadership and political skills.

Most of all, Yoon should present a vision for the future and bring hope to the people by making better policy proposals. The latest poll showed that Yoon's support rate stood at 26 percent, far behind the 39.1 percent rate of Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). Yoon faces an uphill battle in reversing the trend, with only two months left before the March poll.