People Power Party Revokes Kim Moon-soo's Candidacy

In a dramatic turn of events, the People Power Party (PPP) officially revoked the candidacy of Kim Moon-soo and initiated the process of re-nominating independent candidate Han Deok-soo as its new presidential candidate on May 10, 2025. This unprecedented move comes just one day before the deadline for presidential candidate registration, marking a significant shift in the party's electoral strategy.

The decision to change the official candidate follows a failed unification agreement between Kim and Han, which was finalized on the night of May 9. The PPP convened an emergency countermeasures committee early on May 10 to deliberate on the candidate change. Shin Dong-wook, the chief deputy spokesperson for the party, confirmed that if the committee resolves to select a new candidate, the election commission will proceed with revoking Kim's candidacy.

Once Han submits his party membership application and is registered, the party will immediately move forward with the process of re-nominating him. Shin indicated that the goal is to complete the disqualification of Kim and the registration of the new candidate within the same day, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

On the same day, the People Power Party plans to conduct a vote among all party members regarding Han's candidacy. This vote will gauge support for selecting Han as the new presidential candidate. If a majority of participants approve, the emergency committee will present the decision to the national committee, which is scheduled to convene on May 11, 2025. If the national committee also approves, the candidate change will be finalized.

However, Kim's camp has expressed strong opposition to this decision. Kim Jae-won, Kim Moon-soo's secretary, asserted that the party's actions are fundamentally illegal and invalid. He emphasized, "The People Power Party's presidential candidate is still Kim Moon-soo," and indicated that they would proceed with the candidate registration process as scheduled on May 10.

The backdrop to this unfolding drama includes a contentious unification poll conducted by the PPP to determine the preferred candidate between Kim and Han. On May 9, the Central Election Management Committee (the Election Commission) prohibited the public announcement of the poll results, leading to concerns about the legitimacy of any candidate disqualification based on the poll.

The People Power Party leadership contended that while the public announcement of the poll results was banned, it could still make decisions based on the poll's findings. "As long as we don't publicly announce the results, we can make changes based on our judgment," a party official stated. However, Kim's camp has vehemently opposed this stance, arguing that a poll that cannot be publicly announced lacks legitimacy.

Internal dissent within the party has also surfaced, with some members warning that forcing a candidate change based on a "stealth poll" could lead to significant procedural legitimacy issues. One assembly member from the Yeongnam region remarked, "If we're going to change candidates based on a hidden poll, we should at least announce the results publicly." Another member expressed concern that if a candidate change was forced based on a non-announced poll, it could lead to legal challenges from Kim's camp.

During the heated negotiations for unification, Kim's camp proposed a general public poll that would allow all party supporters to participate. However, Han's camp insisted on including a reverse selection prevention clause, which ultimately led to the breakdown of negotiations. This clause aimed to prevent party members from voting for an independent candidate, which Kim's camp argued was an illegal tactic.

Polling data from Korea Gallup, commissioned by the Seoul Economic Daily, revealed that when asked who would be better to unify with between Kim and Han, 41% of respondents favored Kim, while 35% supported Han. However, when the survey was limited to People Power Party supporters and non-supporters, Han's support surged to 55%, while Kim's dropped to 27%. This discrepancy has fueled further tensions within the party.

As the situation continues to unfold, the People Power Party faces significant challenges in its leadership and candidate selection processes. The party's ability to navigate the internal conflicts and maintain unity will be crucial as it approaches the presidential election.

The events of May 10 will undoubtedly shape the future of the People Power Party and its candidates. With Kim Moon-soo's candidacy officially revoked and Han Deok-soo poised to take his place, the party must now rally its members and present a united front as it heads into the election season. The implications of these decisions will resonate throughout the political landscape, and all eyes will be on the PPP as it attempts to regain its footing.