Conservative Party Crisis Reverses Kim’s Candidacy Decision \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ South Korea’s conservative People Power Party (PPP) plunged deeper into crisis Saturday after canceling, then reinstating, presidential candidate Kim Moon Soo within hours. The failed bid to replace him with ex-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo exposed deep party fractures ahead of the June 3 election.
Quick Looks
- PPP rescinds then reinstates Kim Moon Soo’s candidacy.
- Attempt to replace Kim with Han Duck-soo fails.
- Intra-party vote narrowly rejects leadership’s last-minute switch.
- Turmoil follows President Yoon’s ouster over martial law.
- Kim secured 56.3% of the primary vote May 3.
- Party leadership tried to unify behind Han for electability.
- Kim denounced the move as a “political coup.”
- Kim to officially register with election authorities Sunday.
Deep Look
The political future of South Korea’s conservative movement took another dramatic turn Saturday as the People Power Party (PPP) reversed its own decision to replace its presidential candidate just hours after nullifying his nomination.
Kim Moon Soo, a longtime conservative figure and former labor minister, was reinstated as the party’s nominee late Saturday after an intra-party vote rejected efforts to swap him for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The chaotic episode revealed a deep leadership crisis within the PPP and cast further doubt on the party’s electoral prospects ahead of the June 3 presidential election.
A Candidacy in Crisis—and Reinstatement
Kim, who had clinched the party’s nomination on May 3 with 56.3% of the vote, was pressured all week by party leaders to step aside in favor of Han, whom Yoon loyalists viewed as more electable against Democratic Party frontrunner Lee Jae-myung. Kim, a vocal supporter of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, had refused, calling the push to replace him an “overnight political coup.”
Early Saturday, in a highly unorthodox move, the PPP’s emergency committee annulled the primary and attempted to register Han as both a party member and its new presidential nominee. However, party bylaws required an automated internal vote to ratify such a change — a vote that narrowly failed.
“While we cannot disclose the figures, the vote on switching the candidate was rejected by a narrow margin,” said party spokesman Shin Dong-wook. As a result, Kim was immediately reinstated and plans to register with South Korea’s election commission on Sunday.
“Now everything will return to its rightful place,” Kim said in a statement following his reinstatement.
Political Fallout from Yoon’s Impeachment
The PPP’s turmoil comes in the wake of a political earthquake: the impeachment and removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted by the Constitutional Court in April after imposing martial law in December. The episode has deeply divided the conservative camp, weakened its public credibility, and provided ammunition to liberal opponents.
Kim, 73, is seen as both a Yoon loyalist and a controversial figure within his own party. Though originally a labor activist in the 1970s and 1980s, he joined the conservative movement in the 1990s, saying he abandoned revolutionary ideals after witnessing the fall of communist regimes.
He has since served as governor of Gyeonggi Province and completed three terms in the National Assembly, gaining a reputation as a hardline conservative with strong anti-union and pro-business stances.
Han’s Brief Emergence and Response
Han Duck-soo, 74, was briefly floated as the party’s potential savior. Having served as acting president after Yoon’s impeachment, Han resigned on May 2 to launch a presidential bid, citing his long service in government and his ability to navigate geopolitical and economic uncertainty, particularly under U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade agenda.
Though initially positioned as a unifying figure, Han’s sudden candidacy faced resistance from Kim’s camp and failed to garner enough backing from the party base. Following the failed internal vote, Han issued a statement accepting the result.
“I humbly accept the voice of party members,” he said.
Liberal Frontrunner Mocks the Chaos
Meanwhile, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, who is currently leading in opinion polls, has been quick to capitalize on the PPP’s dysfunction. Lee played a central role in mobilizing support for Yoon’s impeachment and has ridiculed the conservatives’ disarray.
“I’ve heard of forced marriages, but never forced unity,” Lee quipped to reporters Thursday.
Recent polls show both Kim and Han trailing Lee by wide margins, with the latest approval numbers placing the Democratic frontrunner nearly 20 points ahead in a three-way race.
What’s Next for the PPP?
With just weeks left before the election, the People Power Party faces an uphill battle. The failed candidate switch has likely alienated both party hardliners and moderates, exposing a lack of strategic coherence at the top. Political analysts say the public might view the incident as an example of power manipulation by entrenched elites, further hurting the party’s chances.
While Kim remains the candidate on paper, his ability to unite the fractured party and mount a serious challenge to Lee Jae-myung remains uncertain. Analysts expect Kim will double down on anti-left messaging, using Yoon’s impeachment as a rallying cry for conservative voters. Whether that message resonates outside the base is less clear.
The party’s internal conflicts and its struggle to present a cohesive platform could prove decisive in the June election. For now, the PPP will try to rally behind a candidate many of its own leaders tried to push out—an ironic twist in a campaign already marred by scandal and confusion.
Conservative Party Crisis
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