(3rd LD) Former PM stresses need to unify conservative candidacy ahead of June election
(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 10, 13)
SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) — Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday stressed the need to unify the conservative presidential candidacy ahead of the June 3 election amid efforts to collaborate with People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo.
Han, who registered as an independent preliminary candidate, made the remarks during a debate session with journalists when asked about negotiations to form a unified candidacy with Kim.
“I have never imagined that unifying candidacies would fail,” Han said, without elaborating on details. “Failure to unify the candidacies would be a major betrayal of the people.”
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks with journalists during a debate session in Seoul on May 6, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Han has reached out to Kim’s camp to discuss merging their candidacies to better challenge Democratic Party contender Lee Jae-myung, who continues to hold a strong lead in recent opinion polls.
The 75-year-old technocrat has emerged as a strong contender in the conservative camp for the June election to replace former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his martial law declaration. Han, who had served as acting president, resigned Thursday and announced his bid the next day.
To register as a unified candidate, Han and Kim must agree before May 11, the deadline for official candidate registration with the National Election Commission.
People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo (L) and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo enter Jogye Temple in downtown Seoul on May 5, 2025. (Yonhap)
On Tuesday, Kim expressed regret over the PPP leadership for not actively supporting his candidacy and ongoing unification talks, underscoring that he was tapped as the party’s candidate through multiple rounds of primaries.
He criticized the party for unilaterally forming a task force to pursue candidacy unification with Han, arguing that such an initiative should be led by the candidate himself.
“The (PPP) leadership promised full support for the candidate,” Kim said in a statement. “But so far, they have been excluding me and unilaterally operating the party, effectively refusing to acknowledge me as the party’s official presidential candidate.”
Rep. Kwon Young-se, the interim leader of the People Power Party, speaks during a party meeting held at the National Assembly in Seoul on May 6, 2025. (Yonhap)
Kim said later Tuesday he will suspend his election campaign, effective immediately, and accused the PPP of trying to “unjustly and forcibly” remove him from the race in favor of the former prime minister.
Earlier in the day, the PPP’s interim leader, Kwon Young-se, urged Kim to keep his promise of unifying the candidacy, saying the party will conduct a survey among party members Wednesday to ask whether they support a potential merger between Kim and Han.
“The party members and the public chose Kim, believing in his clear promise to pursue a unified candidacy with Han,” Kwon said during a party meeting. “Breaking the promise would be a betrayal of party members and the people, and the public would no longer believe in our party and its candidate.”
Kwon said the unifying process must be completed by Sunday “one way or another” and added he would step down as the PPP’s interim chair if it fails.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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