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3mo ago

South Korea's Conservatives Move to Replace Presidential Candidate in Unprecedented Shake-Up

The People Power Party nullifies Kim Moon-soo's candidacy and begins the process to nominate Han Duck-soo ahead of Sunday's registration deadline.

Kim Moon-soo, presidential candidate for South Korea's conservative People Power Party, talks with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo during a meeting to discuss unifying candidacy in Seoul, South Korea, May 8, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Kim Moon-soo, presidential candidate for South Korea's conservative People Power Party, talks with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo during a meeting to discuss unifying candidacy in Seoul, South Korea, May 8, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo
Kim Moon-soo (R), presidential candidate of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), walks out of a general meeting of PPP lawmakers at the National Assembly on May 9, 2025, after the PPP leadership pressures him to merge his candidacy with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. (Yonhap)
Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, addresses a general meeting of party lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul on May 9, 2025. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • The People Power Party (PPP) revoked Kim Moon-soo's nomination early Saturday, citing his resistance to unifying with independent candidate Han Duck-soo.
  • Han Duck-soo, a former prime minister, formally joined the PPP and registered as a candidate, pending party-wide approval and a national committee vote by Sunday.
  • Kim Moon-soo denounced the decision as a 'political coup' and vowed legal and political action, filing another court injunction to challenge the move.
  • The PPP invoked an emergency clause to justify the unprecedented candidate replacement process, aiming to strengthen its position against Democratic frontrunner Lee Jae-myung.
  • Opinion polls show Lee Jae-myung maintaining a commanding lead, with Han polling ahead of Kim in hypothetical matchups.