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Free Malaysia Today
27-05-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Seoul slaps travel bans on former acting presidents
South Korea's ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol was formally stripped of office last month. (EPA Images pic) SEOUL : South Korean authorities have imposed travel bans on two former acting presidents as part of an investigation into ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol's December martial law bid, Yonhap news agency said today. 'Police said on May 27 that former prime minister Han Duck-soo and former finance minister Choi Sang-mok have been banned from leaving the country as they are being investigated as suspects in an insurrection case,' Yonhap reported, adding the ban came into effect in mid-May. Yoon was formally stripped of office last month after being impeached and suspended by lawmakers over his Dec 3 attempt to subvert civilian rule, which saw armed soldiers deployed to parliament. He is currently on trial on insurrection charges over that declaration. If found guilty, Yoon would become the third South Korean president to be found guilty of insurrection – after two military leaders in connection with a 1979 coup. For charges of insurrection, Yoon could be sentenced to life in prison or the maximum penalty: the death sentence. South Koreans go to the polls next week to elect Yoon's successor, capping months of political turmoil since the martial law declaration. Career bureaucrat Han had been touted as a possible candidate to replace him. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) this month was forced to backtrack after trying to revoke former labour minister Kim Moon-soo's candidacy in favour of Han.
Arab News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Seoul slaps travel bans on two former acting presidents: Yonhap
SEOUL: South Korean authorities have imposed travel bans on two former acting presidents as part of an investigation into ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol's December martial law bid, Yonhap news agency said Tuesday.'Police said on May 27 that former prime minister Han Duck-soo and former finance minister Choi Sang-mok have been banned from leaving the country as they are being investigated as suspects in an insurrection case,' Yonhap reported, adding the ban came into effect in was formally stripped of office last month after being impeached and suspended by lawmakers over his December 3 attempt to subvert civilian rule, which saw armed soldiers deployed to is currently on trial on insurrection charges over that found guilty, Yoon would become the third South Korean president to be found guilty of insurrection — after two military leaders in connection with a 1979 charges of insurrection, Yoon could be sentenced to life in prison or the maximum penalty: the death Koreans go to the polls next week to elect Yoon's successor, capping months of political turmoil since the martial law bureaucrat Han had been touted as a possible candidate to replace ruling People Power Party (PPP) this month was forced to backtrack after trying to revoke former labor minister Kim Moon-soo's candidacy in favor of Han.
Malay Mail
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
S. Korea conservatives choose presidential candidate after last-minute chaos
SEOUL, May 11 — South Korea's People Power Party registered former labour minister Kim Moon-soo as its official presidential candidate today, a day after it attempted to cancel his candidacy. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been in turmoil since former president Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted after he declared martial law in December. Last week, Kim won the PPP's primary to run as its candidate in presidential elections on June 3. But before dawn yesterday, his nomination was cancelled and the party moved to replace him with ex-prime minister Han Duck-soo, who had resigned to contest the race initially as an independent. The attempt however failed when party members voted down a motion to switch the presidential candidate from Kim to Han—automatically reinstating Kim as the nominee. 'Today, I have completed the registration process for the presidential candidacy. I would like to express my gratitude to all the citizens who have shown concern and to my fellow party members,' Kim told reporters after he registered his candidacy at the National Election Commission. 'This presidential election is particularly crucial as it will determine who can overcome the current crisis facing our nation and work toward the happiness of our people,' said the 73-year-old. 'I pledge to do my utmost to secure victory and lead South Korea toward becoming an even greater nation,' he added. Kim added that he is scheduled to meet Han at the party headquarters soon after, and emphasised that he will do his best to leverage Han's 'remarkable capabilities'. Separately, Han held a press conference, announcing he will step down. 'I accept everything with humility and respect the outcome. I sincerely wish candidate Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party and his supporters success in this election,' said Han. 'Now, I am stepping back from everything and returning to the life of an ordinary citizen.' The deadline to register candidates with the National Election Commission closes later on Sunday. Analysts say the country's right needs to rally around a single candidate to avoid an opposition landslide at the election, with Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party leading in polls. A National Barometer Survey released this week showed Lee—who currently faces multiple criminal trials—leading Kim 43 per cent to 29 per cent. — AFP
BreakingNews.ie
11-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Party fails in bid to switch candidate for South Korean presidential election
South Korea's embattled conservative party cancelled and then reinstated the presidential candidacy of Kim Moon Soo within hours as internal turmoil escalated ahead of the June 3 election. Saturday's chaotic U-turn, after a failed attempt to replace Mr Kim with former prime minister Han Duck-soo, underscored the People Power Party's (PPP) leadership crisis following the ousting of former president Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law imposition in December, which possibly doomed the conservatives' chances of winning another term in government. Advertisement Mr Kim, a staunch conservative and former labour minister under Mr Yoon, was named the PPP's presidential candidate on May 3 after winning 56.3% of the primary vote, defeating a reformist rival who had criticised Yoon's martial law. But the PPP's leadership, dominated by Yoon loyalists, had spent the past week desperately pressuring him to step aside and back Mr Han, the man they believed stood a stronger chance against liberal Democratic Party frontrunner Lee Jae-myung. Kim Moon Soo, right, and Han Duck-soo (Yonhap/AP) After talks between the two men failed to unify their candidacies, the PPP's emergency committee took the unprecedented step early Saturday of nullifying its primary, cancelling Mr Kim's nomination and registering Mr Han as both a party member and its new presidential candidate. The replacement required approval through an all-party vote conducted through an automated phone survey, which ultimately rejected the switch on Saturday night. Advertisement 'While we cannot disclose the figures, the vote on switching the candidate was rejected by a narrow margin,' party spokesman and lawmaker Shin Dong-wook said. Mr Kim, who had denounced the party's attempt to replace him as an 'overnight political coup', was immediately reinstated as the candidate and plans to officially register with election authorities on Sunday, according to the party. 'Now everything will return to its rightful place,' Mr Kim said in a statement. The 73-year-old was a prominent labour activist in the 1970s and '80s, but joined a conservative party in the 1990s, saying he gave up his dream of becoming a 'revolutionist' after witnessing the collapse of communist states. Advertisement Since then, he has served eight years as governor of South Korea's Gyeonggi province and completed three terms in the National Assembly. Mr Han served as acting president after Mr Yoon was impeached by the legislature in December and officially removed by the Constitutional Court in April. He resigned from office on May 2 to pursue a presidential bid, arguing his long public service career qualifies him to lead the country amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and trade challenges intensified by the policies of US President Donald Trump. Mr Han, who had called for unity after being promoted as the candidate, said in a statement he 'humbly accepts' the voice of party members. Advertisement Opinion polls have seen both men lagging well behind Mr Lee, who spearheaded the Democrats' efforts to oust Mr Yoon, ridiculed the PPP's efforts to switch candidacies, telling reporters on Thursday: 'I have heard of forced marriages but never heard of forced unity.'
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
S. Korea conservatives choose presidential candidate after last-minute chaos
South Korea's People Power Party registered former labour minister Kim Moon-soo as its official presidential candidate on Sunday, a day after it attempted to cancel his candidacy. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been in turmoil since former president Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted after he declared martial law in December. Last week, Kim won the PPP's primary to run as its candidate in presidential elections on June 3. But before dawn on Saturday, his nomination was cancelled and the party moved to replace him with ex-prime minister Han Duck-soo, who had resigned to contest the race initially as an independent. The attempt however failed when party members voted down a motion to switch the presidential candidate from Kim to Han -- automatically reinstating Kim as the nominee. "Today, I have completed the registration process for the presidential candidacy. I would like to express my gratitude to all the citizens who have shown concern and to my fellow party members," Kim told reporters after he registered his candidacy at the National Election Commission. "This presidential election is particularly crucial as it will determine who can overcome the current crisis facing our nation and work toward the happiness of our people," said the 73-year-old. "I pledge to do my utmost to secure victory and lead South Korea toward becoming an even greater nation," he added. Kim added that he is scheduled to meet Han at the party headquarters soon after, and emphasised that he will do his best to leverage Han's "remarkable capabilities". Separately, Han held a press conference, announcing he will step down. "I accept everything with humility and respect the outcome. I sincerely wish candidate Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party and his supporters success in this election," said Han. "Now, I am stepping back from everything and returning to the life of an ordinary citizen." The deadline to register candidates with the National Election Commission closes later on Sunday. Analysts say the country's right needs to rally around a single candidate to avoid an opposition landslide at the election, with Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party leading in polls. A National Barometer Survey released this week showed Lee -- who currently faces multiple criminal trials -- leading Kim 43 percent to 29 percent. hs/dhc
