Translation result
[Herald Economy=Reporter Kim Byung-jin] Kim Jae-won, a People Power Party primary candidate for governor of North Gyeongsang Province, on the 10th challenged fellow primary candidate Lee Cheol-woo to a public showdown debate.
At a press conference at the People Power Party’s North Gyeongsang branch, Kim urged Lee to address allegations that he provided subsidies to mute media outlets by taking part in a head-to-head debate.
Kim said his review of Lee’s rebuttal suggests that, from the early stages of the police inquiry, investigators appeared to be probing both alleged illegal subsidy embezzlement and potential violations of the Public Official Election Act related to donations. He added that Lee has not denied any connection to those allegations; instead, Lee has dismissed Kim’s calls for scrutiny as “fiction” and “nonsense.”
Kim also accused the party’s central office and the nominations committee of issuing an ambiguous response—saying they “cannot verify the facts at this time”—without properly reviewing his objections or conducting a thorough vetting. After receiving that notice, Kim said, Lee unilaterally demanded that his rival withdraw from the race.
“Lee should be candid and explain the situation,” Kim said. “I therefore propose a public, conclusive debate. He can appear anytime, even today. If he refuses, he should withdraw voluntarily.”
The day before, Kim had said Lee should step down if he could not dispel the legal risks. In turn, Lee called on the People Power Party to disqualify Kim from the North Gyeongsang gubernatorial primary, leaving the two candidates in a tense standoff.
The People Power Party will allow campaigning through the 11th and then hold its main primary over two days, April 12–13. The final nominee will be chosen on April 14, with votes from registered party members accounting for 50% and public opinion polls making up the other 50%.
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