Discord Over Ulsan Mayoral Unification... Kim Sangwook Cites "Suspected Group Intervention" vs. Kim Jonghun Claims "Violation of Agreement"

Kim Sangwook of the Democratic Party: "Concern Over Distortion of Public Opinion"
Kim Jonghun of the Progressive Party: "Survey Proceeding as Agreed"

As the public opinion survey to select a unified candidate for Ulsan mayor between the Democratic Party and the Jinbo Party is underway, tensions between the two sides surfaced after Democratic Party candidate Kim Sanguk's camp suddenly announced the suspension of the primary. The Jinbo Party immediately pushed back, stating that this move "violated the spirit of the unification agreement."

The two parties had been conducting a public opinion poll among citizens for two days, from the 23rd, to select a unified candidate between Democratic Party candidate Kim Sanguk and Jinbo Party candidate Kim Jonghun. However, on the 24th, Kim Sanguk's camp announced their intention to halt the survey, citing "an unusual trend exceeding the typical level" detected during the process.

On the 15th, after announcing the agreement on unifying the mayoral candidate for Ulsan, Democratic Party candidate Kim Sanguk (right in the photo) and Jinbo Party candidate Kim Jonghun held hands. Photo by Yonhap News

In a statement released on the morning of the 24th, Kim Sanguk explained, "During the poll, we observed extremely irregular patterns that go far beyond what is typically predictable, and there are indications suggesting possible organized intervention by certain groups."

He continued, "Given these circumstances, we have concluded that it is no longer possible for us to proceed with the primary in its current form, as we had set the standard of 'a method that reflects the overall public opinion of Ulsan citizens without distortion.' This is because an undemocratic situation could arise in which citizens' right to choose is undermined by manipulation from particular groups."

Kim Sanguk went on to clarify, "I want to make it absolutely clear that we are not abandoning or rejecting the unification, nor are we attempting to violate the agreement. We will thoroughly investigate the situation and its causes, and, together with our colleagues in the Jinbo Party, we will continue sincere and swift follow-up discussions to ensure that we never stop striving for a 'beautiful unification.'"

The Jinbo Party responded immediately. In a statement urgently distributed under the names of candidate Kim Jonghun and Bang Seoksu, head of the Ulsan City Party Committee, the Jinbo Party said, "Kim Sanguk's unilateral announcement to halt the poll is a violation of the spirit of the unification agreement and is unacceptable," adding, "The joint public opinion poll for the primary between the two parties is proceeding as agreed."

The statement continued, "The Jinbo Party has not identified any unusual circumstances," and added, "While Kim Sanguk's side suspects intervention from specific groups, we have not been informed of any concrete evidence or specifics regarding such suspicions."

The Jinbo Party further stated, "We express our strong regret over this unilateral announcement, which goes against the spirit of the agreement and does not reflect the demands of citizens to unite and overcome division. We urge Kim Sanguk's camp to take a sincere stance and clarify their position."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.