In a dramatic turn of events, South Korea’s leading conservative party, the People Power Party (PPP), found itself engulfed in chaos as it first annulled and then reinstated the candidacy of Kim Moon Soo for the upcoming presidential election on June 3.
The party’s rapid reversal came after a failed plan to replace Kim with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, highlighting ongoing internal strife. This upheaval is the latest consequence of the party’s downturn following the ousting of former President Yoon Suk Yeol after he imposed martial law in December, significantly damaging the conservatives’ electoral prospects.
Kim, previously serving as a labor minister and a steadfast conservative, emerged victorious in the PPP primary on May 3 with 56.3% of the vote, triumphing over a reformist contender who opposed Yoon’s martial law. However, the party’s leadership, mainly composed of Yoon’s supporters, has been fervently pushing Kim to make way for Han, who they argue has better chances against the liberal Democratic Party’s favorite, Lee Jae-myung.
Amid unproductive negotiations to merge Han and Kim’s political efforts, the PPP’s emergency committee took the remarkable step on Saturday morning of canceling its primary results. This action included rescinding Kim’s nomination and appointing Han as their candidate. This change required endorsement through an automated party-wide phone survey, which eventually refused the candidate swap by a narrow margin.
“We are unable to reveal the exact numbers, but the proposal to change the candidate was narrowly declined,” confirmed party spokesman Shin Dong-wook. Following this, Kim, who condemned the attempt to replace him as a “political coup overnight,” was promptly reinstated and planned to register with electoral authorities the following day.
Kim, aged 73, initially known for his labor activism during the 1970s and 1980s, shifted to conservative politics in the 1990s after renouncing his revolutionary aspirations post the downfall of communist states. His political career includes a gubernatorial role in South Korea’s Gyeonggi province for eight years and three terms in the National Assembly.
Conversely, Han, who assumed acting presidential duties after Yoon’s impeachment and subsequent court removal from office, resigned on May 2 to vie for the presidency. He justified his candidacy by citing his extensive public service history as fitting for leading the nation amidst global geopolitical fluctuations and heightened trade tensions exacerbated by U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies.
Having been suggested as the unity candidate, Han stated his acceptance of the party’s collective decision. Despite their rivalry, both Han and Kim have been trailing behind Lee in opinion polls. Lee, recognized for leading the Democrats’ move to impeach Yoon, dismissed the PPP’s candidate shuffle attempts, quipping, “I have heard of forced marriages but never heard of forced unity.”