Rival parties clash over debate between presidential candidates

Lee Jae-myung, left, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, and Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, attend an award ceremony hosted by the Local Press Korea Association at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Monday. Joint Press Corps

By Kang Seung-woo

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and his main opposition rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party (PPP) are sparring over when to hold debates.

Lee, known as a skilled conversationalist in political circles, is urging Yoon to hold head-to-head debate sessions as often as possible to show voters their respective policies, visions and philosophies, as a way to establish his superiority to Yoon in terms of debating. Yoon, who has often found himself in the hot seat for slips of the tongue, is questioning the validity of debating Lee.

The lack of agreement came to the fore following Yoon's Saturday interview on a YouTube channel, during which he explained his skepticism about holding a presidential debate, saying it could only lead to a quarrel.

“It is difficult for candidates to articulate their thoughts (during a debate) as they get into offensive or defensive arguments. I don't think it's very helpful to have a policy discussion to verify a candidate's way of thinking or other things in order to select the top decision-maker for the government,” Yoon said at the time.

“During the PPP primary, we had 16 debates, but I don't think they drew a sizable audience.”

In response to Yoon's apparent objection, Lee said, Sunday, Yoon's remarks show his lack of understanding in regards to the essence of democracy and politics.

“The essence of politics is about coordinating interests. If the coordination process is avoided, politics will cease to exist,” Lee said in a TV interview.

“Yoon has lived his whole life as a prosecutor and has experienced a lifetime of holding authority, so he thinks he is right, but this kind of thinking can lead to a dictatorship even if just one thing goes wrong.”

Lee said in another TV interview that if Yoon tries to avoid arguments and compromises, it means he isn't' truly participating in politics, advising Yoon to openly join debates even though it may be uncomfortable.

Along with Lee, the ruling party has joined hands in pressuring Yoon to accept the debate offer.

“Candidates who avoid a debate are disqualified,” former Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok wrote on Facebook, Monday.

“While people are becoming more apathetic to the presidential election due to the onslaught of mudslinging and smear campaigns, the only means by which to bring their focus to the election is to increase opportunities for candidates to engage in debate.”

Amid the growing DPK attacks on his reticence to participate in debates, Yoon struck back, claiming that if Lee first accepts a special counsel investigation into a lucrative land development project linked to him, he will be ready to debate.

Lee has been accused of having handed out business favors to Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, a key investor in the development project, in the past while serving as mayor of Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province.

The PPP believes Lee was the mastermind behind the corrupt scheme and has repeatedly called for an independent investigation into the case.

Lee and the DPK have agreed in principle but differed on the details, including the scope of the investigation, saying it should also cover alleged irregularities committed by Yoon.

According to the election law, presidential candidates must participate in three nationally televised debates organized by the National Election Commission, and the DPK said it would seek to revise the law to increase the number of sessions to at least seven.