Seoul: Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced on Wednesday that he will refrain from registering for the upcoming presidential race unless an agreement is reached with People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo to present a unified candidacy for the June 3 election.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Han made this declaration shortly before his planned meeting with Kim to deliberate on the potential unification of their candidacies. This move aims to strengthen their challenge against Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung, who currently leads in opinion polls.

Han stated at his campaign office, "If unification fails, I will not register as an official candidate for the presidential election." He emphasized that political disputes often serve the interests of the politicians involved but distress the public. "It is not the right thing to do. I won't do such a thing," he added, expressing his willingness to accept the PPP's terms for the unification process.

During a separate press conference with foreign correspondents, Han expressed optimism about the potential for unifying the conservative candidacy, describing it as the "mandate of the people." He underscored the importance of broad institutional reform through constitutional amendments to tackle complex challenges both domestically and internationally. "This is why I believe the unification will be achieved successfully and that it must be," Han asserted.

With only four days remaining before the deadline for official candidate registration, Han has been actively seeking an alliance with Kim to consolidate conservative support against the DP's Lee. Although Kim has been receptive to the idea of merging with Han, he has expressed disappointment over the PPP leadership's lack of support for his candidacy, leading him to suspend his campaign on Tuesday.

In light of these internal tensions, the PPP plans to conduct an internal poll to gauge member support for a unified presidential ticket.