Seoul: Kim Moon-soo, a former labor activist-turned-conservative politician, officially announced his candidacy for president for the June 3 election. The election was triggered by the impeachment and removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his brief martial law declaration in December.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 73-year-old Kim Moon-soo presented himself as a strong candidate capable of defeating Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, who is considered the leading contender. He pledged to revitalize the conservative People Power Party (PPP). During a press briefing at the National Assembly, Kim emphasized the need to accept the impeachment outcome while urging supporters to continue the fight to victory. He called for unity to transform the party and lead the nation out of crisis.
Kim outlined his plans to secure nuclear fuel reprocessing capabilities and develop nuclear-powered submarines to address North Korea's nuclear threats. He expressed intentions to negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump on defense cost-sharing and nuclear issues while strengthening ties with Washington.
He also promised to rejuvenate the slowing economy and push for constitutional reforms in response to growing demands for political change. Kim's approval ratings have notably increased, particularly among Yoon's staunch supporters, following his refusal to apologize during a parliamentary session after Yoon's martial law decree.
Kim, a symbol of labor and democratization movements in the 1970s and 1980s, joined the conservative bloc in the 1990s and served three consecutive terms as a lawmaker. He was the governor of Gyeonggi Province for two terms until 2014 and later founded a minor party aligned with the far-right political spectrum. In August 2024, he was appointed labor minister after leading the Presidential Economic, Social and Labor Council under the Yoon administration.