Latest news with #ex-Daegu
Korea Herald
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Court dismisses Kim Moon-soo's request to ban PPP national convention
Court also rejects Kim's injunction to legally secure PPP presidential slot A Seoul court on Friday dismissed injunctions filed by People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo earlier this week to legally affirm his candidacy and to block the ruling party from convening a national convention to name its final nominee for the presidential election. Kim had sought court injunctions to block party efforts to replace or merge his candidacy with another contender, arguing that he was the rightful nominee after winning the PPP primary. However, the court dismissed the request, effectively allowing the party to continue exploring alternatives, such as a merger with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The court's move came amid a growing rift within the conservative bloc, with Kim refusing to yield to the People Power Party leadership's push for a 'forced candidacy merger' with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. 'The forced candidacy merger (pushed by the party leadership) is nothing more than an attempt to drag me down and make an independent candidate the party's official presidential nominee,' Kim said during a general meeting of People Power Party lawmakers in the morning. 'I cannot accept this,' he added. Kim's remarks were made in the presence of the conservative party's leadership, including interim leader Kwon Young-se and floor leader Kweon Seong-dong. The duo has called for a 'swift' candidacy merger between Kim and Han -- currently an independent candidate -- before Sunday's deadline for official candidate registration for the June 3 presidential election. Kim called for the People Power Party leadership to 'immediately stop engaging in illegal and unfair acts' to make Han the party's presidential candidate. Following Kim's speech, interim leader Kwon expressed his disappointment, saying that a 'true leader must be willing to sacrifice his personal interests -- this is extremely disappointing.' Kim left the general meeting held at the National Assembly immediately after Kwon finished his speech. Some People Power Party lawmakers either attempted to physically block him from leaving or shouted 'stop him,' but Kim left the premises in a hurry. Kim's remarks came hours before the People Power Party was set to announce the results of its survey of party members and the public regarding who is best suited to be the party's candidate. The poll results would be weighted 50 percent from party member votes and 50 percent from a survey of the general public. Meanwhile, Lee Jung-hyun, a spokesperson for Han's campaign, told reporters around noon that if the People Power Party 'decides to choose Han as its candidate after the survey results come out in Han's favor,' then they plan to heed the party's decision. Kim and Han have held two rounds of talks so far in a bid to narrow their differences on unifying their candidacies, but without success. In the afternoon, Kim asked ex-Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who recently announced his retirement from politics, to head the People Power Party's election management committee. Hong, however, refused Kim's offer and said in a statement that he has "already announced that he will not get involved in the upcoming presidential election." Hong is set to depart on a planned trip to the US on Saturday, he added. A political commentator forecast that it is unlikely that Kim and Han will agree to unify their campaigns and that the tension will remain unresolved for now as they pursue their own differing interests in the upcoming election. 'While the presidential election is on both their minds, it's also about the scenarios that might unfold after the election if they both fail to be elected president -- that's what's at the core of the current rift,' Park Sang-byeong, a political commentator and professor at Inha University, told The Korea Herald via phone. 'Kim is apparently seeking to be elected the People Power Party leader following the presidential election and stepping down as a presidential candidate will not help him achieve that goal,' he explained. 'Meanwhile, for Han, he has pledged to the people to achieve constitutional reform, and for him to continue his political career, it's crucial for him to carry out that pledge as president.'
Korea Herald
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Kim Moon-soo defies PPP leadership's push for candidacy merger
Hong Joon-pyo refuses Kim's offer to head PPP's election management committee People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo told the party leadership on Friday that he refuses to yield to their push for a 'forced candidacy merger' with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, fueling the growing tension within the conservative bloc. 'The forced candidacy merger (pushed by the party leadership) is nothing more than an attempt to drag me down and make an independent candidate the party's official presidential nominee,' Kim said during a general meeting of People Power Party lawmakers in the morning. 'I cannot accept this,' he added. Kim's remarks were made in the presence of the conservative party's leadership, including interim leader Kwon Young-se and floor leader Kweon Seong-dong. The duo has called for a 'swift' candidacy merger between Kim and Han -- currently an independent candidate -- before Sunday's deadline for official candidate registration for the June 3 presidential election. Kim called for the People Power Party leadership to 'immediately stop engaging in illegal and unfair acts' to make Han the party's presidential candidate. Following Kim's speech, interim leader Kwon expressed his disappointment, saying that a 'true leader must be willing to sacrifice his personal interests -- this is extremely disappointing.' Kim left the general meeting held at the National Assembly immediately after Kwon finished his speech. Some People Power Party lawmakers either attempted to physically block him from leaving or shouted 'stop him,' but Kim left the premises in a hurry. Kim's remarks came hours before the People Power Party was set to announce the results of its survey of party members and the public regarding who is best suited to be the party's candidate. The poll results would be weighted 50 percent from party member votes and 50 percent from a survey of the general public. Meanwhile, Lee Jung-hyun, a spokesperson for Han's campaign, told reporters around noon that if the People Power Party 'decides to choose Han as its candidate after the survey results come out in Han's favor,' then they plan to heed the party's decision. Kim and Han have held two rounds of talks so far in a bid to narrow their differences on unifying their candidacies, but without success. In the afternoon, Kim asked ex-Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who recently announced his retirement from politics, to head the People Power Party's election management committee. Hong, however, refused Kim's offer and said in a statement that he has "already announced that he will not get involved in the upcoming presidential election." Hong is set to depart on a planned trip to the US on Saturday, he added. A political commentator forecast that it is unlikely that Kim and Han will agree to unify their campaigns and that the tension will remain unresolved for now as they pursue their own differing interests in the upcoming election. 'While the presidential election is on both their minds, it's also about the scenarios that might unfold after the election if they both fail to be elected president -- that's what's at the core of the current rift,' Park Sang-byeong, a political commentator and professor at Inha University, told The Korea Herald via phone. 'Kim is apparently seeking to be elected the People Power Party leader following the presidential election and stepping down as a presidential candidate will not help him achieve that goal,' he explained. 'Meanwhile, for Han, he has pledged to the people to achieve constitutional reform, and for him to continue his political career, it's crucial for him to carry out that pledge as president.'
Korea Herald
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Kim Moon-soo, Han Dong-hoon to compete in final round of PPP primary
Eliminated ex-Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo announces retirement from politics The conservative People Power Party on Tuesday named former Chair Han Dong-hoon and ex-Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo as the two finalists who will compete in the third and final round of its primary to be the party's candidate in the June 3 presidential election. Of the four contenders that competed throughout the second round, People Power Party Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo failed to make the cut. Hong, shortly after the announcement, said he would retire from politics, stating, "I will no longer engage in politics." There were originally eight contenders at the start of the primary. The results for the second round of the primary were determined by weighing in public surveys and votes of party members, unlike the first round, which only took the public opinion polls into consideration. The rates of support from the surveys and the vote counts for the four candidates were not disclosed. After the announcements were made, Han and Kim both pledged to put in their best efforts to 'protect the country' if they're elected as the People Power Party's sole candidate and president. 'I will do my best to make South Korea great again by overcoming the crisis surrounding the country and the difficulties that our people face,' Kim said in his speech. Han pointed out that Kim and he are both similar in the ways that they share the mindset to 'protect the country' and highlighted the need to cooperate to compete against Democratic Party of Korea candidate and front-runner Rep. Lee Jae-myung. 'We are both very honest people and we both share the mindset to protect our country. Under the current difficult circumstances surrounding the presidential election, we must (cooperate) as (conservative) candidates against Lee Jae-myung,' Han said. Han and Kim are set to face off in televised debate sessions scheduled for Wednesday. An electoral vote and public opinion polls will be conducted on Thursday and Friday. The party's sole candidate will be confirmed at a party convention scheduled for Saturday. The candidate who would ultimately clinch the ruling party's nomination would face off Democratic Party of Korea's candidate Lee Jae-myung in the upcoming June 3 presidential election. According to a Realmeter survey released Monday, Lee led the poll of preferred presidential candidates with 48.5 percent. Kim came at No. 2 with 13.4 percent, followed by former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo with 10.2 percent and former party chair Han Dong-hoon with 9.7 percent. Tuesday's announcement came amid growing speculations that acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo may enter the presidential race as an independent conservative candidate. Observers say that Han may attempt to partner up with the People Power Party's presidential candidate after announcing his presidential bid.
Korea Herald
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Debate between conservative presidential hopefuls dissolves into mudslinging, blame game
The debate between two presidential hopefuls vying for the ruling People Power Party's nomination held Friday transformed into a mudslinging match, as both brushed off accusations against each other as 'lies.' Tensions escalated during a televised one-on-one debate between former People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon and ex-Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, part of the second round of the conservative party's primary. Hong, during the debate, claimed that former President Yoon Suk Yeol had planned to name Han Dong-hoon prime minister and turn him into his 'successor,' if Han, who was the party's interim leader at the time, had led the People Power Party into victory during last year's general election. Hong claimed that Yoon informed him of such a plan during a private dinner that took place four days after the April 10 election. Han shot back, telling him 'not to lie' and stressed that he was asked to step down as interim leader in January last year. Hong then retorted, saying that Han's resignation 'comes later in the story.' In January last year, ahead of the April 10 general election, Han revealed that he had rejected the presidential office's request to step down from the leadership role. In the weeks prior to Han's announcement, there had been growing speculations and reports of a widening rift between then-President Yoon and Han, due to their contradicting views on how to deal with the scandals surrounding Yoon's wife, ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee. Following the ruling party's defeat in the general election, in which the Democratic Party secured a majority of the 300 seats in the National Assembly, Han was often criticized by the pro-Yoon faction as the main reason behind the conservative bloc's loss. Han later stepped down in December 2024, citing difficulties tied to growing internal strife within the ruling party after the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon over his failed Dec. 3 martial law bid. The two candidates also blamed each other for failing to prevent Yoon's martial law declaration. At one point, Hong took a jab at Han, saying that if he were the leader of the ruling party at the time, both 'the martial law and the impeachment' would not have happened. The ex-Daegu Mayor added that the leader of the ruling party must cooperate with the president, highlighting Han's rift with Yoon at the time. In response, Han said that 'someone like Hong, who continued to shower the (former) president with flattery as he stood next to him, has responsibility over martial law.' Hong and Han are two of the four remaining candidates in the People Power Party's primary race for the June 3 election, after the field was narrowed from eight earlier this week. According to a Gallup Korea survey released Friday, asking respondents about their favorite potential future president, former Democratic Party of Korea Chair Lee Jae-myung led with an overwhelming 38 percent. Han trailed behind with 8 percent, while Hong came in at No. 3 with 7 percent. Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, both received support of 6 percent. The poll involved 1,005 respondents aged 18 or older and was conducted from Tuesday to Thursday.
Korea Herald
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Burden of Yoon's martial law looms over PPP primary race
The lingering risks stemming from former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law decree became a thorny issue among presidential hopefuls running in the People Power Party's primary for the June 3 presidential election. A moment of tension was observed on Wednesday between former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo and ex-People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon during a second press event held for the four contenders who advanced to the next round of the race. Besides Kim and Han, People Power Party Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and ex-Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo also made the cut. 'I plan to ask (former) Chair Han Dong-hoon in the upcoming debate whether he believes it is because of him that our party had to see (President Yoon) impeached, and now has to go through an election again,' Kim said as he stood next to Han, whom he chose as his preferred opposition in an upcoming televised debate. In response, Han said, 'I've never doubted candidate Kim's heart of patriotism. But our party cannot avoid (the responsibility) tied to martial law or impeachment in this election.' The former People Power Party leader added he hopes to carry out the upcoming debate in a 'sincere' manner that could benefit the conservative bloc as a whole. When he was still in office as labor minister, Kim expressed his disagreement with Yoon's impeachment in February, when the now former president was undergoing a Constitutional Court trial over his short-lived martial law imposition on Dec. 3, 2024. Han had tried to convince ruling party lawmakers to vote in favor of Yoon's impeachment motion, which was eventually passed by the National Assembly on Dec. 14, 2024. South Korea is now heading into an early presidential election on June 3, following the Constitutional Court's ruling that removed Yoon from office for violating the law and democratic principles with his martial declaration. Ahead of the second press event, Ahn called for the three other contenders running against him in the primary to join him in his plan to apologize to the public for Yoon's impeachment and the political turmoil caused by it. 'Former President Yoon's impeachment is the conservative bloc's painful history. No one is free from the responsibility of his impeachment,' Ahn wrote on his Facebook. 'We must cross the river of impeachment to reach the road of the people and head towards the path of victory — we must all sincerely apologize to the people.' Ahn also asked the other candidates to revise the Constitution to reform the current single, five-year presidential term to three years with the possibility of being reelected, if any among the four are elected as president. The People Power Party's election management committee announced the four contenders for the party nomination on Tuesday evening. All four will now advance to the second round of the party's primary ahead of the June 3 presidential election. Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, North Gyeongsang Province Gov. Lee Cheol-woo, People Power Party Rep. Na Kyung-won and former People Power Party lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja failed to make the cut. While Yang will not be participating in the next round of the primary, she officially announced her endorsement of Han on Wednesday, citing the need for a leader with a "future-oriented" mindset. Tuesday's results were determined from surveys conducted by five polling agencies on Monday and Tuesday, involving a combined 4,000 respondents. The party did not disclose the rates of support from the surveys for the eight candidates who competed in the first round. While the names of those who made the cut were announced by the head of the party's election management committee Hwang Woo-yea, the former five-term lawmaker stressed that the announcement was made in Korean alphabetical order. It did not reflect the support rate the candidates received in any way, Hwang added. The second round of the primary, which is the final one before the May 3 party convention, will involve multiple televised debates scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On Sunday and Monday, People Power Party members will vote for the candidate they think their party should nominate, and another public survey will be conducted. The results for the second round of the primary will be weighted such that half will be determined by the public survey and half by votes of party members, unlike the first round that only took the public opinion polls into consideration. If the results point to a single candidate by early next week, then the primary is projected to wrap up with no further competition. However, if it is too close to call between two candidates, the primary is expected to continue into the party convention. According to a Realmeter poll of all potential presidential candidates released this week, Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a strong lead with 50.2 percent of public support. Trailing Lee was Kim Moon-soo with 12.2 percent. Han received 8.5 percent, Hong garnered 7.5 percent and Ahn saw 3.7 percent support.
