Saenuri Party candidate Park Geun-hye ratcheted up attacks on her two liberal rivals Wednesday as a sense of urgency gripped her campaign upon the launch of talks for an alliance that could tip the race in their favor.

“Will the single candidacy event that is completely irrelevant to the people’s lives be able to save people’s livelihood from crisis?” Park said at a party event, referring to Democratic United Party nominee Moon Jae-in and independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo.

“Not only are there warnings of an unprecedented global economic crisis and a ‘perfect storm’ ahead next year, but we are also in an ultra tense situation with uncertainties in foreign affairs and security surrounding us,” Park added. It was the first time that the conservative candidate openly criticized the opponents’ move.

Park was seen to underscore the critical challenges faced by Korea and her administrative vision in an attempt to shed a negative light on her rivals’ merger.

“A nation’s leader must have a clear position on security and values,” she said, referring to the on-going debate on former President Roh Moo-hyun’s stance on the Northern Limit Line, a maritime demarcation between the North and South.

Leaders of her campaign team and senior members lashed out at Moon and Ahn’s alliance, calling it a “closed-door collusion,” a “ruse by political manipulation,” and an “abandonment of politics.”

“This presidential election comes down to making a decision between a single candidacy pushed by the number two man of the failed Roh Moo-hyun administration and the weak and inexperienced candidate, and a clean woman president who will break the old cycle of corruption in our politics and keep her promises,” said Kim Moo-sung, head of Park’s General Election Measures Headquarters.

Saenuri Party Chairman Hwang Woo-yea said at the party’s Supreme Council meeting, “The highly anticipated single candidacy is a ruse by political manipulation that is the final resort of the opposition.”

“The two must take the responsibility of degrading this presidential election into a mere game of politics,” he added.

Aside from their escalated attacks, the Saenuri Party was also seen to struggle to find a way to outdo the rising excitement toward the merger.

Although Park is in the lead among the three major candidates in popularity polls, she is surpassed or comes neck-and-neck against either rival in potential one-on-one matchups.

“If Ahn becomes the single opposition candidate, it is considered that we will have a harder time luring moderates’ votes. But there are also views that Moon will pose a more serious threat if he gains the backing of the so-called Ahn phenomenon on top of his solid organizational backing,” a party official said.

Party sources suggest Park, for now, will concentrate on her campaign, in part to avoid being perceived as shaken-up by the candidates’ move. While her campaign people will raise their offensives against the opposition, the frontrunner will highlight her economic and security pledges to differentiate her campaign from the “political event,” they said.

Park’s next pledge announcements will address education. Park has vowed to lessen household debt and private education fees.

Park will restart her regional tour with a visit to Busan on Friday. Busan and Gyeongsang Province are considered key electorates for the Saenuri Party. Sources said she would be making more overnight trips to show her dedication.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)