TV DEBATE OF DP PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS

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The Democratic Party’s presidential primary is winding down. The last TV debate took place yesterday which was marked by an intense bout between the front runner Lee Jae-myung and runner-up Lee Nak-yon. The ruling party will conduct an opinion poll to pare down the candidate pool down to final six.

[Pkg]

The last TV debate before selecting the final six presidential primary candidates was held yesterday. Lee Nak-yon currently in second place launched pointed attacks on front runner Lee Jae-myung.

[Soundbite] Lee Nak-yon(Democratic Party presidential candidate) : "Your changing of words has revealed your true self and unveiled the illusions. Many party members find overlapping elements between you and the former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl."

Other candidates criticized the Gyeonggi Governor’s flip-flop on his main campaign pledges, namely basic income and basic housing.

[Soundbite] Park Yong-jin(Democratic Party presidential candidate) : "If there’s something wrong with a policy, you should change your thinking, not your words."

Instead of retaliating, Lee Jae-myung fended off the attacks by explaining his position.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(Democratic Party presidential candidate) : "I think it’s a frame of thought devised by someone else. Policies are not set in stone, so they can be changed when they are criticized through such debates and when those criticisms are valid."

The past three debates have clearly shown who stands against Lee Jae-myung. However, former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae demonstrated a different stance as reports say that she may join hands with Lee Jae-myung.

[Soundbite] Choo Mi-ae(Democratic Party presidential candidate) : "People say that you generally take the easy way out instead of facing the issues head-on. Didn’t you set up a special committee on prosecution reform when you were the party leader?"

[Soundbite] Lee Nak-yon(Democratic Party presidential candidate) : "As you know, the National Assembly is operated around standing committees. The chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee was in charge of that matter."

The Democratic Party will conduct an opinion poll amongst its party members and the general public over the next three days to pick the final six candidates who will enter the presidential primary slated for this coming Sunday.