Criticisms against party leadership

[Anchor]

Candidates who ran against Kim Moon-soo in the primary have also voiced their criticisms one after another.

They demanded the resignation of the leadership as well as candidate Han Duck-soo.

Reporter Won Dong-hee has covered the reactions from both inside and outside the party.

[Report]

The decision to replace the presidential candidate has sparked backlash from those who ran against Kim Moon-soo in the primaries.

Former representative Han Dong-hoon stated, "The pro-Yoon faction is snatching the candidacy," adding that "even North Korea wouldn't do this." Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo criticized, "After self-destructing with martial law, they are making a final self-destruction by looting their candidate."

There were also calls for the simultaneous resignation of candidate Han Duck-soo and the leadership.

[Ahn Cheol-soo/Member of the National Assembly: "If the leadership believes in Han Duck-soo's competitiveness, then Han Duck-soo should leave with the leadership and the pro-Yoon faction."]

Members of the Assembly also joined in the criticism.

[Cho Kyoung-tae/Member of the National Assembly: "I urge all members of the leadership, including the emergency committee, to resign immediately and take responsibility for this situation."]

In the group chat of the members, there were complaints such as, "The leadership must make one last effort for a unification agreement," "How will the candidate registration for just one hour in the early morning look to the public?" and "The Secretary General must answer whether there has been a violation of party regulations."

Some members met with candidates Han Duck-soo and Kim Moon-soo to persuade them towards a unified agreement, but yielded no results.

The Democratic Party criticized the People Power Party for violently seizing the candidacy and handing it over to "Yoon Suk Yeol's agent."

They argued that the party should give up on the presidential election and disband.

[Kim Min-seok/Co-Chairman of the Democratic Party's Joint Election Committee: "If the first choice is out, the second choice should take over. Why is an outsider snatching it? Is this a party? Do you still have confidence that it won't be disbanded?"]

They pointed out that the true intention of the leadership led by Kwon Young-se and Kwon Seong-dong in replacing the candidate is a personal motive to seize party power.

This is KBS News, Won Dong-hee.