Sat May 03 08:06:12 UTC 2025: **South Korea’s Conservative Party Names Kim Moon-soo as Presidential Candidate**
SEOUL, South Korea (May 3, 2025) – Kim Moon-soo, a former Labor Minister, has secured the presidential nomination for South Korea’s conservative People Power Party (PPP). He secured 56.5% of the vote in Saturday’s primary, defeating Han Dong-hun. The election, scheduled for June 3rd, will see Kim face off against the liberal frontrunner, Lee Jae-myung.
Kim’s victory comes amidst significant political turmoil following the impeachment and removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol in early April for imposing martial law. Kim, while respecting the Constitutional Court’s ruling, opposed the impeachment proceedings. His opponent, Han Dong-hun, a former Justice Minister under Yoon, belonged to a reformist faction within the PPP that supported the impeachment. His faction’s votes were crucial in passing the impeachment motion in the National Assembly.
While Lee Jae-myung is currently favored to win, he faces five separate criminal trials. A recent Supreme Court ruling ordering a retrial on election law charges further complicates his campaign. Kim is expected to consolidate support from other conservative factions, including those aligned with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, to prevent a split in the conservative vote and improve his chances against Lee.
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