The People Power Party’s interim leader, Kwon Young-se, said Thursday that the party must choose a single candidate within two days to represent the conservative bloc in the June 3 presidential election.

Kwon made the remarks during the party’s emergency committee meeting at the National Assembly, expressing his intent to push ahead with the party-led campaign merger for its presidential candidate, Kim Moon-soo, and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

The interim leader said that process begins Thursday with a televised debate between the two candidates in the afternoon, followed by a public opinion poll. 

He said the party has proposed the idea to the candidates and that even if the debate fails to take place, the party will proceed with the poll as planned. 

Kwon added that he will take full responsibility for the decision as the interim leader, stressing that he is willing to endure any criticism to prevent a dictatorship under Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung.