PPP PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS GATHER

[Anchor Lead]

Eleven presidential primary candidates from the People Power Party have gathered together for the first time before they begin their primary campaigning in late August. This event appears to have indirectly put pressure on former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to join the party. Meanwhile, Yoon visited the one-man protest demanding the president’s apology for the internet comment fabrication case held in front of Cheong Wa Dae.

[Pkg]

The People Power Party leadership called up eleven presidential candidates before primary campaigning starts on August 30th. They first talked about the transition of power and slander-free competition.

[Soundbite] Choi Jae-hyung(PPP Presidential Primary Candidate) : "I will do all I can to replace the government by joining forces with political allies."

[Soundbite] Won Hee-ryong(PPP Presidential Primary Candidate) : "I believe our primary should instill trust in the people. But that doesn’t mean that we should compete gently."

But they also made remarks directed at former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl who still hasn’t joined the party.

[Soundbite] Kim Tae-ho(PPP Presidential Primary Candidate) : "I’m concerned about the resurrection of factional politics. If party members align with or work against a certain candidate, we become a useless mob after the primary."

[Soundbite] Ahn Sang-soo(PPP Presidential Primary Candidate) : "Someone outside the party has already enticed our party committee chairs and held a fried chicken party."

There was even a proposal for the party to vet the candidates just as it did for Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye in the 2007 presidential primary. This suggestion appears to be directed at the former top prosecutor.

[Soundbite] Yoo Seong-min(PPP Presidential Primary Candidate) : "The 2007 presidential primary between Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye was the main event. Such a fierce primary made it easy for us to win the presidential election."

Meanwhile, Yoon Seok-youl, still looking for the right time to join the PPP, visited lawmaker Chung Jin-suk’s one-man protest site. Chung has been demanding the president apologize for the fabrication of internet comments during the last presidential election. Yoon also demanded the president make his position known. The former prosecutor general's campaign team has reported to the police ten YouTubers who raised issues about Yoon’s wife and demanded the controversial mural about her be taken down.