DUP leadership hopefuls lock horns

Rep. Kim Han-gil

By Jun Ji-hye

Two leadership hopefuls of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) are going head-to-head in their campaigns with just a day to go before party’s national convention slated for Saturday.

Rep. Lee Yong-sup attacked his opponent Rep. Kim Han-gil saying he had committed illegal campaigning. Kim rebutted this, saying it was “groundless maligning.”

On Wednesday when the party conducted an automated phone vote among its members nationwide, Lee claimed Kim sent text messages promoting himself, which he called illegal campaigning.

“Such an act exercises a profound influence on voting. It is undeniable illegal campaigning that affects a ballot,” Lee said in a press release.

He demanded the party’s election committee immediately put a stop to the ballot and invalidate it.

“I urge Kim to make a public apology. The committee will have to thoroughly investigate this and carry out a new ballot as well,” he said.

In response, Kim held a press conference Thursday and argued: “The election committee never stipulated that promotion via phone calls or text messages was prohibited. Lee’s behavior is just baseless slander that should be eradicated in our election culture.”

“The convention should be held in a festive mood, so I ask Lee to stop such an act as it could lead the public to see the DUP more negatively.”

The two candidates clashed over each other’s disclosure of certain opinion polls that were favorable to themselves.

Kim revealed a recent survey of 3,208 party members conducted Monday by Research View showing he had a big lead, garnering support of 56.4 percent against Lee’s 39.8 percent.

Lee countered by saying another survey showed the two were running neck-and-neck within the statistical range of error. He quoted a Realmeter poll where he scored 42.5 percent to Kim’s 47.8 percent.

“Kim’s side actively circulated the biased survey where he received a majority vote, but it is out of sync with facts. I have to doubt the survey method and its fairness,” Lee said.

He also attacked Kim’s leadership describing it as “divisive.”

“Kim defected from the Uri Party, the predecessor of the DUP, and this creates an air of anxiety regarding what he will do next following independent Ahn Cheol-soo’s entry into the National Assembly. If he grabs the party presidency, he will ruin the DUP and form a new party with Ahn,” he said.

Kim claimed Lee and Rep. Kang Gi-jung agreed on a single candidate just for the purpose of defeating him.

“The unification of a candidacy is usually conducted in a presidential election where the ruling and opposition parties compete. The national convention is an event in the same camp. Their agreement on a sole candidate just incites factional politics within the party, which have been blamed for its failure in last year’s presidential poll.”

Lee and Kang are considered followers of the late Roh Moo-hyun and formed a united candidacy last Thursday.