(2nd LD) PPP presidential candidate, ex-PM fail to reach deal on candidacy unification
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with meeting results; CHANGES photo)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) — People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo held a one-on-one meeting Wednesday to discuss a possible unification of their candidacies ahead of the June 3 election, but the talks ended without an agreement.
The two candidates met for about 75 minutes starting at 6 p.m. at a restaurant in central Seoul without any aides present.
Following the closed-door meeting, Han’s spokesperson Lee Jung-hyun told reporters that “no specific agreement was reached.”
Kim Moon-soo (R), presidential candidate of the People Power Party, and Han Duck-soo, an independent preliminary presidential candidate, attend a closed-door meeting at a restaurant in central Seoul on May 7, 2025, to discuss whether to unify their candidacies for the June 3 vote. (Yonhap)
Kim also said there was “no meaningful progress” made during the discussion.
The meeting came amid growing internal rifts within the conservative PPP, with Kim openly criticizing the party leadership for allegedly pressuring him to step down in favor of Han.
Earlier in the day, the party held a general meeting of its lawmakers, where the potential unification of Kim and Han’s candidacies was the top agenda item. The party is reportedly considering an internal poll to gauge support for either candidate.
Kim has suspended his campaign activities since Tuesday, citing what he called the party’s lack of support for his candidacy.
Kim, a former labor minister, was nominated by the PPP as its presidential candidate last week. Han, who is running as an independent, also launched his first-ever bid for elected office after decades in appointed government roles.
Under election law, May 7 is the deadline for the National Election Commission to order printed campaign materials, with official candidate registration closing on May 11. Ballot printing begins May 25.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
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