Journalist
Kim Dae-sik
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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Kim Moon-soo calls PPP candidate switch a 'political coup,' vows legal fight SEOUL, May 10 (AJP) - In a press conference held at 9:50 a.m. on Saturday, Kim Moon-soo condemned the People Power Party’s (PPP) early-morning decision to strip him of his presidential candidacy and replace him with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Calling the move a “political coup,” Kim declared his intent to pursue legal and political action against party leaders and urged the public to stand with him in what he described as a fight to defend South Korea’s democracy. “Democracy within our party died last night,” Kim said, standing before reporters just hours after the PPP formally canceled his nomination and registered Han as its new candidate under Article 74-2 of the party’s constitution. The party leadership opened a one-hour candidate registration window between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. following the breakdown of unification talks between Kim and Han. The PPP has argued that its decision was backed by overwhelming party sentiment and justified under internal rules allowing candidate replacement in exceptional circumstances. The move is set to be finalized through a party-wide vote on May 10 and ratified by the national committee on May 11. However, Kim refused to accept the result. “What happened last night is not just an internal issue—this is unprecedented in our constitutional history,” he said. He accused party leaders of plotting his removal even before he was nominated, alleging that Han had been their pre-selected candidate all along. Kim also criticized the registration process itself, which he said involved submitting over 30 documents with virtually no notice. “They pushed it through at 3 a.m., in just one hour. That alone shows how illegitimate this process was,” he said. He vowed to take immediate legal steps to challenge the decision and warned of consequences for those responsible. “I will continue to fight to protect the Republic of Korea’s liberal democracy,” Kim declared. “We must defend the values we’ve upheld through blood and sacrifice.” Despite the party’s withdrawal of support, Kim has maintained that he remains the legitimate PPP candidate and said he will attempt to register independently with the National Election Commission. --- The following is the full transcript of Kim’s statement, as delivered at the press conference: “Dear citizens and fellow members of the People Power Party, I am Kim Moon-soo, your presidential candidate. I hope you were well through the night. Last night, the emergency leadership committee of the People Power Party unlawfully stripped me of my candidacy—a position I was rightfully elected to by the people and our party members. Democracy within our party died last night. I sincerely apologize to the members and citizens who supported me despite my shortcomings. A political coup unfolded in the dead of night. What took place is unprecedented not only in Korean constitutional history but in global democratic history. Our party, which should have been standing up against the political monster Lee Jae-myung, turned into a monster itself. According to our party constitution, the presidential candidate must be elected at a party convention or by its delegate body, the National Committee. But before any such committee even convened, the emergency leadership, which had no such authority, pushed through a candidate replacement. This is a blatant violation of the party’s rules. The leadership had decided on Han Duck-soo as the candidate long before I was selected and made repeated efforts to push me out. Around 1 a.m. today, they ultimately revoked my nomination. Then at 3 a.m., they rushed through a one-hour registration process requiring 32 documents, effectively forcing a new candidacy in the dark. I will immediately take legal and political action against this illegal and unjust attempt to replace the party’s rightful candidate. I will hold those responsible for this crisis accountable, both legally and politically. I will continue to fight to protect the Republic of Korea’s liberal democracy. We must defend the values that we’ve upheld through blood and sacrifice. To the citizens of this country. I ask you to stand with me, Kim Moon-soo. Thank you.” 2025-05-10 10:11:27 -
PPP moves to replace Kim Moon-soo with Han Duck-soo as presidential nominee SEOUL, May 10 (AJP) - The People Power Party (PPP) launched an unprecedented candidate replacement process early Saturday morning, canceling Kim Moon-soo’s nomination and registering former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as its new presidential candidate, following the collapse of unification talks between the two conservative contenders. At around 3 a.m. on May 10, PPP election committee chair Lee Yang-soo announced via the party's website that Han had been officially registered as the party’s presidential nominee, citing Article 74-2 of the party constitution and related regulations. This came shortly after Lee issued a prior notice declaring the cancellation of Kim’s nomination and the opening of a one-hour candidate registration window from 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. The move follows the breakdown of negotiations between Kim and Han over how and when to consolidate their candidacies. While the party leadership pushed for unification before the May 11 deadline for official registration with the National Election Commission, Kim had insisted on conducting public polling on May 15–16 to determine a single candidate. In response, the party invoked a rule allowing the emergency leadership committee to determine candidate nomination procedures under “extraordinary circumstances.” Party officials cited the results of a May 7 internal survey in which 86.7 percent of members supported unification before the NEC deadline as justification for the switch. An additional internal preference poll was conducted among party members and the public on May 8 and 9 to gauge support between Kim and Han. While the results were not publicly disclosed, sources said Han held the lead. The party plans to complete the nomination process through a full-member vote on May 10, followed by a final confirmation by the national committee on May 11. Despite a series of legal challenges by Kim’s camp, including a request to prevent the national committee from convening, the Seoul Southern District Court dismissed all injunctions, effectively clearing the way for the party to proceed. Kim, however, has refused to back down. He announced plans to independently register with the National Election Commission as the PPP’s official candidate and requested access to the party’s nomination seal and the required deposit account for registration. His chief of staff, Kim Jae-won, declared the leadership’s actions “clearly illegal” and confirmed Kim’s intention to proceed with registration on the morning of May 10. With the party leadership unlikely to cooperate with the registration process, a legal and political standoff now appears inevitable. The fallout from the early-morning decision has exposed deep rifts within the PPP. One sitting lawmaker called the leadership’s action “unavoidable,” while others expressed concern that the party could now face a prolonged legal and internal crisis. 2025-05-10 09:42:51 -
Kim and Han clash over timing, legitimacy in second unification talks SEOUL, May 08 (AJP) - Presidential candidates Kim Moon-soo and Han Duck-soo met for a second round of unification talks on Thursday, but the discussion once again revealed sharp differences over the timing and terms of a potential single candidacy. The meeting, held at the National Assembly’s Sarangjae at 4:30 p.m., was fully open to the press by prior agreement between both camps. Han, an independent candidate and former prime minister, pushed for immediate resolution, stressing the need to finalize unification before the official registration period closes on May 11. “Unification is the will of the people,” he said, adding, “Whatever method the party decides on, I will accept it.” He pointed to Kim’s repeated past statements during the People Power Party (PPP) primary in favor of unification. “I feel like your request to postpone it by a week really means you don’t want this,” Han said. He urged Kim to reach a decision within “today or tomorrow,” warning that failure to do so would risk political irrelevance for both sides. Kim, representing the PPP, responded that he had always supported the idea of unification but expressed discomfort with Han’s approach. “The first person I would naturally consider for unification is Prime Minister Han,” he said, but questioned why Han had remained outside the party. “It only makes sense that if you were serious about running, you should have joined the PPP,” Kim said. He criticized Han for not participating in the party’s formal primary process, suggesting it was unfair for someone “who appeared late” to demand concessions from a candidate who had gone through all the required procedures. Han replied that he would join the PPP immediately if unification were realized. He explained his absence from the primary was due to state responsibilities, including managing trade and economic issues in his role as acting president. As tensions rose, Kim pushed back against the idea that he bore sole responsibility for achieving unification. “You’re handing me the bill,” he said. “You came in late and skipped the party primary, and now you’re asking me why I’m not keeping my promise.” Han responded, “It’s not a bill. I’m not in a position to demand anything,” and urged Kim to act according to “the will of the people and party members.” 2025-05-08 19:18:07 -
Han Duck-soo calls for unity and reform in presidential campaign SEOUL, May 08 (AJP) - Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo made a strong case for constitutional reform and conservative unity during a press conference at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Wednesday, saying he would rather fix the country’s broken political system than chase long-term power. “I'm not here to be just another candidate. I'm here because our system is in crisis,” Han said, speaking with a mix of urgency and conviction. “What the country needs now is not five more years of partisan fighting. We need stability, we need structure, and we need change.” Han, who entered the race as an independent earlier this week, said he is still open to joining forces with the ruling People Power Party (PPP), calling unification “the will of the people.” “The public wants us to work together. It’s not about personal ambition—it’s about avoiding another five years of dysfunction,” he said. “I’ve spoken with Chairman Kim Moon-soo. We’re aligned in many ways, but we still need to work through how we can move forward as one.” If elected, Han said he would push for constitutional reform within his first year in office and step down after a three-year transitional term. He declined to commit to a specific new system but made clear he believes the current presidential model is too centralized and unstable. “It leads to constant confrontation between the presidency and the legislature, and it makes it difficult to govern with long-term vision,” he said. “What we need is a system that works for the next generation, not just the next administration.” Han also addressed the controversy surrounding former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s decision to impose martial law last December, calling it a mistake. “I did not support martial law. That’s not how democracy is supposed to work,” he said. “Even in moments of crisis, the answer is not force. The answer is trust in institutions and dialogue.” On the economy, Han leaned into his background as a trade minister and ambassador to the United States, suggesting his experience would help guide Korea through global uncertainty. “I know how Washington works. I know how international trade works. That knowledge matters when the world is changing as fast as it is today,” he said. “We need steady leadership, especially in foreign affairs and economic policy.” With less than a month until the June 3 presidential election, Han's campaign is now centered on two themes: overhaul the political system, and bring conservatives together. “I’m not trying to win for the sake of winning,” he said. “I want to help the country move beyond division. I want to give younger generations a better foundation than the one we’ve had. That’s why I’m running.” 2025-05-08 15:35:39 -
North Korea and Belarus step up economic cooperation with Pyongyang meetings SEOUL, May 08 (AJP)—North Korea welcomed a senior Belarusian delegation to Pyongyang this week, signaling growing ties between the two countries through a series of working-level talks and a formal banquet held on Tuesday. The Belarusian delegation will remain in North Korea until May 9. The visit, led by Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko, comes ahead of the third North Korea–Belarus Joint Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation session, marking the first of its kind in 19 years. The last session was held in Minsk in 2006. According to North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday, officials from both sides sat down for detailed discussions on cooperation across various sectors. The two countries are expected to finalize new agreements during the upcoming joint committee meeting. Later that evening, North Korean officials hosted a welcoming banquet at the Mansudae Assembly Hall. Deputy Prime Minister Jong Myong-su and Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-kyu attended on behalf of the North Korean government. Jong said he hoped the visit would help advance friendly relations and voiced confidence that exchanges and cooperation between the two sides would continue to grow. Shuleiko, for his part, emphasized the importance of expanding contact and practical collaboration “for the benefit of both peoples.” Belarus has been one of Russia’s most vocal supporters since the start of the war in Ukraine. North Korea, which has grown increasingly close to Moscow, has also moved to bolster ties with Belarus, including holding foreign ministerial talks in Pyongyang last July. 2025-05-08 15:11:58 -
India justifies cross-border strikes as fallout from Kashmir attack SEOUL, May 08 (AJP) - India explained Wednesday that its recent airstrikes on targets in Pakistan and the Pakistani-administered part of Kashmir were aimed at dismantling terrorist networks linked to last month’s deadly attack on civilians in the Kashmir valley. The strikes, carried out early on May 7 under what the government has dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” came in response to an attack on April 22 in the resort town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir. Gunmen opened fire on a group of unarmed tourists, killing 26 people, including one Nepali national, and wounding several others. Authorities described the killings as unusually brutal, with several victims reportedly shot at close range. It was the deadliest attack on civilians in the region in over two decades and came during a time when tourism in Kashmir had reached record highs, with more than 23 million visitors last year. Indian officials have blamed the assault on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based group banned by the United Nations, and said a lesser-known outfit called The Resistance Front (TRF), which later claimed responsibility, was acting as a front for the larger organization. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the attack was intended to disrupt the region’s return to normalcy and economic recovery, and that Indian intelligence had identified cross-border communications linking the attackers to handlers in Pakistan. India maintains that its strikes were focused and restrained, targeting only what it described as terrorist infrastructure while avoiding military sites. Misri called the operation proportionate and consistent with an April 25 statement by the UN Security Council urging accountability for the Pahalgam killings. Pakistan has denied involvement in the April 22 attack and condemned India’s actions as unprovoked aggression. Islamabad reported civilian casualties and claimed its forces had downed multiple Indian aircraft, though Delhi has not commented on those claims. Pakistan has also accused India of using the incident to justify a breach of its sovereignty. The escalation has renewed long-standing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, who have fought multiple wars and remain in dispute over Kashmir. The UN, the European Union, and several governments have called on both sides to exercise restraint and return to diplomatic dialogue. 2025-05-08 11:24:42 -
Kim Moon-soo and Han Duck-soo fail to reach agreement in unification talks SEOUL, May 07 (AJP) - Conservative presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party and independent candidate Han Duck-soo held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss a possible unification of their candidacies, but the talks ended without any agreement. The two candidates met privately for about an hour and 15 minutes at a restaurant in Seoul’s Jongno District around 6 p.m., without aides or representatives present. Following the meeting, Han’s spokesperson Lee Jung-hyun told reporters, “There was no specific agreement reached.” Kim also confirmed to the press that “there was no meaningful progress.” The failed attempt highlights lingering differences between the two camps just days ahead of the official registration period for presidential candidates. 2025-05-07 20:36:24 -
Six cities call on central government to cover losses from free subway rides SEOUL, May 07 (AJP) - Subway operators from six major South Korean cities, including Seoul, the southern port city of Busan, and the western port city of Incheon, are once again calling on the government to cover mounting losses from free rides provided to elderly passengers and other eligible groups. On Wednesday, Seoul Metro and five other urban rail operators issued a joint statement urging national funding to support what they describe as a public service obligation mandated by law. The proposal, signed by representatives from Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, and Daejeon, was submitted to the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee Chairman Maeng Sung-kyu and related ministries. Since 1984, South Korea has offered free subway rides to seniors aged 65 and older, people with disabilities, and recipients of national merit. While this program has been considered a core element of the country’s transportation welfare system, the financial burden has largely fallen on local operators with no direct compensation from the government. According to the six operators, free ride losses have averaged 558.8 billion won ($401 million) per year over the past five years. Last year, for the first time, the combined annual loss exceeded 700 billion won. Seoul Metro alone reported a deficit of 413.5 billion won, accounting for more than half the total. These losses are expected to grow as the population continues to age. Seoul Metro said its annual free ride losses have been rising by around 10 percent each year, and estimates that by 2040, they could surpass 500 billion won annually. The subway operators also pointed to what they see as an unfair disparity with Korail, the national railway operator. Korail receives government subsidies for free ride losses, but the same support does not apply to city-run subway systems. The government has maintained that urban subway deficits are a local matter and can be addressed by raising fares. Despite several attempts to revise relevant laws, including the Urban Railroad Act, the Welfare of Senior Citizens Act, and the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act, no progress has been made. Union and management representatives at the meeting voiced frustration, saying the government is both the creator and beneficiary of the free ride system and must therefore take responsibility for the financial burden. “If we are serious about maintaining this national policy and ensuring mobility rights for the elderly and vulnerable, then government support is essential,” they said. Baek Ho, president of Seoul Metro, called the joint statement reflects the urgent situation facing subway operators nationwide. “This is just the beginning,” he said. “We need to push for real legislative and policy changes to deal with the growing financial crisis in our public transit systems.” 2025-05-07 17:58:28 -
India wraps up first WAVES summit, spotlighting its creative economy ambitions SEOUL, May 07 (AJP) - India’s first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) closed on May 4 in Mumbai, marking a significant moment in the country’s bid to position itself as a global creative powerhouse. Spanning four days at the Jio World Convention Centre, the event brought together key players from across the media and entertainment spectrum -- from industry veterans and tech innovators to policymakers, investors, and emerging creators. With packed halls, dynamic panels, and a broad range of topics from film and digital content to gaming and fashion, the summit drew wide attention. The event opened with Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivering the inaugural address. "WAVES is not just an acronym," he said. "It is a wave of culture, creativity, and universal connectivity." Modi urged Indian creators to share their “one billion untold stories” with the world and invited global investors to back not only platforms but also people. Declaring the start of India’s Orange Economy, he called on the youth to lead this creative movement. Throughout the summit, more than 140 sessions unfolded across multiple venues, featuring over 100 speakers, including Ted Sarandos, Neal Mohan, Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani, and Shantanu Narayen. Attendees also took part in 40 masterclasses and 55 breakout discussions on subjects ranging from artificial intelligence and OTT platforms to comics, animation, and virtual production. Representatives from Meta, Google, Amazon, Netflix, NVIDIA, and others were in attendance. A major business highlight was the WAVES Bazaar, where deals totaling 1,328 crore rupees ($156,965) were inked. Among them was a new content partnership between Prime Video and Korea’s CJ ENM. The Maharashtra government also signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth 8,000 crore rupees aimed at boosting investment in the creative sector. The Global Media Dialogue, another key component of the summit, saw representatives from 77 countries adopt the “WAVES Declaration,” a joint commitment to bridging the digital divide and promoting peace through media. Speaking at the forum, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the need to balance tradition with innovation and to invest in skill development for the younger generation. Startups were also highlighted. WAVEX, a dedicated accelerator, selected 30 early-stage companies to pitch to a group of investors. Over 100 more exhibited their projects in a dedicated startup pavilion, drawing attention from both angel investors and larger media companies. South Korea played a notable role in the program. Kang Sung Kyu, CEO of the Busan Film Commission, joined as a panelist and discussed the ongoing recovery of traditional filmmaking following the pandemic. He emphasized the importance of transparent financial practices and support for cultural diversity to help the sector regain momentum. 2025-05-07 16:24:32 -
Kim Moon-soo and Han Duck-soo to meet for talks on single candidacy SEOUL, May 07 (AJP) - People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo and independent contender Han Duck-soo are set to meet Wednesday evening to discuss the possibility of unifying their campaigns ahead of the June 3 presidential election. Both camps have confirmed that the meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on May 7, though the location will be disclosed later. With both men seen as key conservative figures, the discussion is drawing attention as a potential step toward forming a single candidacy to take on Democratic Party frontrunner Lee Jae-myung. Kim, who won the PPP nomination last week, had previously indicated he was open to unification when he was still in the running as a primary candidate. He floated the idea of holding a public debate and using polling to determine who should lead a joint ticket, and said he would take responsibility for driving that effort if named the party nominee. But since securing the nomination, tensions have grown. Kim pushed back against pressure from party leadership to move quickly on a deal, and over the weekend, he suspended his campaign schedule in protest. That makes Wednesday’s meeting with Han a possible turning point in the conservative camp’s efforts to coordinate. Meanwhile, the PPP is surveying party members Wednesay through an automated poll (ARS) to measure support for candidate unification. The poll also asks whether any merger should happen before or after official candidate registration, which begins May 10. The party’s general assembly of lawmakers is also scheduled for the day, with the question of a unified candidacy expected to dominate the agenda. 2025-05-07 10:28:16