(3rd LD) PPP presidential candidate, ex-PM fail to reach deal on candidacy unification
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 2, 4-8, 11)
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.
With four days remaining before the official candidate registration deadline, the two have been seeking to consolidate conservative support by fielding a single candidate to counter Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, who is currently leading in opinion polls.
Kim and Han 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, calling the outcome “regrettable.”
Han did not attend the post-meeting press briefing as he left immediately after the talks concluded without a deal.
Kim said he proposed ideas for unifying the conservative candidacy but Han stuck to his previously stated position.
Earlier Wednesday, Han held a press conference in which he declared he would not register for the race unless an agreement is reached with Kim before the May 11 deadline. He also said he would unconditionally accept the PPP’s terms for a candidacy merger.
After the talks, Kim proposed holding a follow-up meeting on Thursday, to which Han positively responded.
Wednesday’s 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 plans to conduct an internal poll to gauge member 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.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
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