'I cannot accept that': PPP's Kim Moon-soo rejects merging candidacy with Han Duck-soo
Published: 09 May. 2025, 12:49
Updated: 09 May. 2025, 12:56
![People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo leaves the National Assembly’s general meeting room in Yeouido, western Seoul, on May 9, shortly after PPP interim leader Kwon Young-se made remarks pressuring him to unify his candidacy and exited the session. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/09/fb2bdbcd-9263-44e5-a800-9345be0cab29.jpg)
People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo leaves the National Assembly’s general meeting room in Yeouido, western Seoul, on May 9, shortly after PPP interim leader Kwon Young-se made remarks pressuring him to unify his candidacy and exited the session. [YONHAP]
Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party’s (PPP) presidential candidate, declared Friday that he would not unify his candidacy with independent candidate Han Duck-soo, amid ongoing conflict over a potential merger.
Speaking at a party lawmakers’ general meeting held at the National Assembly that afternoon, Kim said that “the party leadership’s forced unification is nothing more than an attempt to oust me and install an independent candidate, and I cannot accept that.”
Kim accused the party leadership of making “illegal and antidemocratic” efforts to unify his candidacy with that of Han, urging to “stop immediately.”
Kim said that last Saturday — the day he was nominated as the party’s official candidate — he had spoken with PPP interim leader Kwon Young-se and floor leader Kwon Seong-dong about forming an election committee and appointing lawmaker Jang Dong-hyeok as secretary general. But, according to Kim, the leadership told him to “deal with unification first and then form the campaign team,” leaving him “quite shocked.”
“Can someone holding such a responsible party position really say something like that?” Kim asked. “Unification is supposed to be about forming a unified front in the liberal camp to increase our competitiveness,” Kim continued.
“But this situation is nothing more than an attempt to remove me and make an untested independent candidate our nominee. How can I accept such a unification?
“Trust me,” he added. “I will step up and win. Had we started preparing for the election immediately after I was nominated and rallied the party’s strength, our current poll numbers would look very different.” He concluded, shouting, “I will win. Let’s go together!”
Before Kim’s remarks, floor leader Kwon had offered an apology, saying, “I would like to use this opportunity to apologize for some of the harsh words I said during the unification process.” However, he reportedly gave a bitter smile afterward.
Taking the podium after Kim, interim head Kwon said that he “welcomes Kim’s presence here today, but I found his remarks very disappointing.”
“They were completely out of step with what our lawmakers were hoping to hear,” he continued. “I won’t say much more. A true leader — especially one who aims to be a greater leader — must know how to let go.”
Moments after Kwon finished speaking, Kim abruptly walked out of the meeting room.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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