PPP candidate rejects pressure to merge with former PM, with 2nd merger talks on Thursday

Amid pressure to create a coalition between conservative party candidate Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in the upcoming presidential election, their first attempt towards the move largely failed on Wednesday.

With a tight election schedule ahead, it's no walk in the park.

We have our political correspondent Oh Soo-young on the line.

1.Sooyoung, let's begin with this emergency press conference by People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo.

In an emergency briefing Thursday, Kim refused to give into party pressure and the so-called roadmap to merge with independent candidate Han Duck-soo, accusing the PPP leadership of trying to drag down his campaign despite having legitimately won the party's primary.

He called on the party to halt its unilateral merger plans, threatening litigation against what he called an undemocratic, and illegal takeover of his campaign.

He rejected a televised debate planned by the party at 6 PM, between Kim and Han, saying they should hold one next Wednesday, followed by two days of polling to decide on a merger.

The PPP has been pushing for its main candidate Kim and former PM Han, to join forces in the presidential race, against their main opponent the Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung who currently leads the polls.

Han and Kim came second and third respectively in recent public surveys.

After he emerged as the leading PPP candidate,.. Kim has argued it should be him not the party that leads efforts towards a union.

The candidate added he will continue sincerely working with Han to reach an agreement.

Their 75-minute talks on Wednesday fell through, with Kim complaining that while he set out a proposal, Han said he entrusted the matter entirely to the PPP.

Han, for his part, said that if no agreement is reached by the May 11 registration deadline, he will not enter the race.

Kim says he has contacted Han directly to propose a second meeting on Thursday at 4 PM.

Han’s side accepted, while also suggesting the two hold more extensive talks in the evening.

2. And there was some panic within the PPP which came up with emergency measures to prompt a merger.

Yes. The PPP leadership held an emergency meeting Wednesday, and announced a roadmap towards uniting the campaigns, starting with a one-on-one televised debate between Kim and Han at 6 PM Thursday.

Now that has fallen through.

But they will still conduct a poll on the two candidates from 7PM until 4PM on Friday, evenly reflecting party and public preferences.

PPP spokesperson Shin Dong-wook said leadership invoked a special clause in the party charter to prompt emergency measures in the candidate selection process.

Shin said this was justified, citing a poll that showed 87 percent of PPP members support a Kim-Han union before May 11th.

Meanwhile, senior party figures have taken dramatic action.

Nine PPP advisers, led by former chairman Kim Moo-sung, launched a hunger strike on Wednesday, calling the merger a moral imperative.

Lawmaker Kim Mi-ae and floor leader Kweon Seong-dong also joined in, with Kweon on Thursday blasting Kim Moon-soo's latest remarks.

Some party members, including former presidential contenders have criticized the leadership, saying their push undermines the legitimacy of candidacy procedures.

The merger really is easier said than done it seems, and we'll have to see how the talks today proceed.

Thanks for keeping us updated.