Seoul: Kim Moon-soo, a labor activist turned conservative politician, has been selected as the presidential candidate for the People Power Party (PPP) for the upcoming June 3 election. Kim secured the nomination after receiving 56.5 percent of the votes in the party's primary, surpassing former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, who received 43.5 percent.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim will face Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung in a bid to succeed former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office following a failed attempt at martial law. With the election just a month away, Kim has pledged to unify the party and collaborate with other political entities to ensure victory.
In his acceptance speech, Kim stated, "I will establish strong solidarity with any forces to prevent the DP Lee Jae-myung from taking office. I will pursue this through a process and approach acceptable to both the people and party members." If elected, he plans to propose constitutional amendments and implement sweeping reforms in the political, judicial, and electoral systems, including abolishing privileges given to lawmakers and the early voting system.
Kim also emphasized his commitment to national security, particularly concerning North Korea's nuclear threat and the pursuit of unification. He declared, "I will ensure that extremist forces seeking to undermine our system cannot destabilize this nation. I will firmly uphold the Republic of Korea as a free and democratic country."
Kim has gained traction within the conservative bloc by refusing to apologize for Yoon's martial law decree and opposing his impeachment, contrasting with Han Dong-hoon's condemnation of the decree and support for Yoon's removal.
Despite Kim's nomination, the race remains unsettled. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced his presidential candidacy on Friday, aiming to merge his campaign with the conservative party's candidate. Han, who served as acting president after Yoon's impeachment, has been leading in recent opinion polls compared to PPP candidates.
Although currently unaffiliated with any political party, Han Duck-soo is expected to coordinate with the PPP nominee to consolidate the conservative vote against DP's Lee, who leads in public opinion polls. Kim Moon-soo has expressed openness to a unified conservative candidacy with Han Duck-soo, while Han Dong-hoon criticized Han's entry into the race without participating in the party's primary process.