PPP fails to replace presidential candidate as party vote blocks leadership's last-minute move SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - In a dramatic turn just one day before official presidential campaigning begins, South Korea’s conservative People Power Party (PPP) failed in its attempt to replace its presidential nominee, Kim Moon-soo, after a party-wide vote rejected the leadership’s emergency push to install former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as the new candidate. The internal vote, conducted via an automated response survey (ARS) from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, asked all PPP members whether they supported canceling Kim’s nomination and replacing him with Han. The party announced after midnight that the proposal had been narrowly voted down. "While we cannot disclose the exact figures, the result was a rejection of the candidate replacement motion by a narrow margin," said Shin Dong-wook, the party’s chief spokesperson. The outcome nullifies the party leadership’s drastic actions taken the night before. Citing emergency powers under Article 74 of the party charter, the PPP’s emergency leadership committee convened in the early hours of May 10 and moved swiftly to revoke Kim’s candidacy, accept Han’s formal party membership, and open a one-hour candidate registration window between 3 and 4 a.m.. The unorthodox process triggered immediate controversy. Critics both within and outside the party accused the leadership of bypassing proper procedure and undermining internal democracy. The sequence of events, initiated after failed unification talks between Kim and Han, was seen by some as a political coup. Kim, a former labor minister and conservative stalwart, responded defiantly, vowing to register with the National Election Commission (NEC) as PPP’s official candidate on Sunday. "Everything is back to where it should be," he said in a statement. "I will immediately launch my campaign and build a big-tent alliance to challenge Lee Jae-myung." The failed switch also brought swift fallout. Kwon Young-se, chair of the PPP emergency committee and the architect of the replacement strategy, resigned to take responsibility for the failed maneuver. “The failure to achieve unification is my fault alone,” he said in a press conference, offering a formal apology to party members and the public. Kwon emphasized that the leadership had acted with the intent of fielding the strongest candidate against Democratic Party frontrunner Lee Jae-myung, but ultimately failed to secure the consensus required to see the plan through. Saturday’s vote reflected widespread concern within the party about the process. While many members agreed on the need to unite the conservative bloc, the abrupt revocation of Kim’s candidacy, done without convening the full national committee or holding open consultations, sparked backlash over procedural legitimacy. The now-defunct plan had been the PPP’s last-minute attempt to salvage a conservative victory through consolidation. Han’s appointment had been framed as a pathway toward unity, especially after unification talks with Kim collapsed earlier in the week over the timing and method of coordination. The situation has left lingering uncertainty and tension within the party, with many predicting a continued fallout over both the leadership’s overreach and the growing ideological rift within the conservative camp. 2025-05-11 02:35:18

Han Duck-soo calls for unity in first press conference after nomination turmoil SEOUL, May 10 (AJP) - Han Duck-soo, the newly designated presidential candidate of the People Power Party (PPP), called for party unity and national reconciliation during a press conference held at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday as the party pressed forward with its decision to replace former labor minister Kim Moon-soo amid deep internal division and legal wrangling. “I never once dreamed of running for president,” Han said in his opening remarks. “But I came to believe over the past three years that unless we change politics, there is no future for this country.” His speech came just hours after the PPP officially began the process of switching its presidential candidate from Kim to Han through an emergency decision by the party’s leadership and election commission. The party cited Article 74-2 of its constitution to justify the move and launched a full-member vote, with final ratification by the national committee set for May 11. Han was formally registered as the new candidate during a tightly controlled one-hour registration window held between 3 and 4 a.m., while Kim Moon-soo, stripped of his nomination, denounced the process as a “political coup” and vowed legal action. Kim filed an injunction Saturday morning seeking to suspend the decision. At the press conference, Han expressed regret over the conflict and pledged to move forward without hostility. “I sincerely apologize to the people and to party members for the confusion,” he said. “I will embrace everyone, including candidate Kim Moon-soo and his supporters. We all share the same desire for victory.” Han emphasized that he had no ambition to hold power for himself and pledged to focus his campaign on constitutional reform and economic recovery. “I have no belief that I must hold every authority,” he said. “I am here only because I believe we must win.” The veteran former prime minister sharply criticized the opposition, saying South Korea could not afford to be ruled by “those who reverse themselves in the afternoon after promising reforms in the morning,” or who “threaten impeachment whenever rulings do not go their way.” He warned that unchecked power concentrated across all branches of government would ultimately destroy the economy. Han also downplayed his own political role, saying, “I am just a stepping stone. I want others to step over me and carry us into the next era.” He said his only ideology was preserving the nation’s economic foundation, adding, “I will do my duty to this country until the day I die.” As the PPP continues its internal vote and braces for legal fallout from Kim’s camp, Han’s remarks signal an attempt to cool tensions and rally support ahead of the June 3 presidential election. --- The following is the full transcript of Han Duck-soo’s statement as delivered during the May 10 press conference: "Dear citizens and fellow party members, I am Han Duck-soo. Never in my life have I dreamed of running for president. But I decided to run because over the past three years, I’ve come to feel deeply that our politics must change. Without change, no matter who takes power, our country has no future. The conflicts and confusion we are facing now will only repeat. We must win. Everyone knows that. But winning is not easy. To win, we must unite and let go of ourselves. I let go of everything when I entered this race. I never believed that only I could do this—not in the past, not now, not ever. I’ve never believed that I must hold all authority. We must all come together. The party should be led by those who have long dedicated themselves to its cause. I intend to focus on constitutional reform and economic revival. I am running solely because I believe we must win. Changing politics to save the economy and the country—that is my only goal, from beginning to end. To achieve that, everyone must unite, and I must add my strength. Unification is the will of the people. Regardless of what has happened, I deeply apologize to the people and to our party members. I will work to ensure that the public never has to witness news like this again. I will embrace everyone. I will focus only on winning, and forget all that came before. I’ve spent decades at negotiation tables. In every successful negotiation, the key is to leave behind the past. I am the person who has done that longest in our country. To candidate Kim Moon-soo, to his supporters, and to all other candidates—I know this has been a painful experience. I believe we all share the same desire for victory. I will embrace you all. I will support and respect you all. Let us move forward. Not for me, but for the people. Let me be clear—our supreme task right now is winning the presidential election. I have officially joined the People Power Party. I will give everything I have—my strength and my wisdom—for this cause. Those who promise reform in the morning and reverse themselves by afternoon... Those who celebrate favorable rulings but respond to unfavorable ones with impeachment threats... Those who propose massive supplementary budgets after cutting core expenditures… Those who push for impeachment regardless of how the country is doing—even talk of impeaching the Chief Justice without shame... Such people must not be allowed to take power. We cannot let them control the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary without checks. The economy will not survive it. The country will not survive it. South Korea did not rise easily. It was built through sweat and hardship. But it can fall easily. Several countries in Latin America were once prosperous. Some say I am a conservative, some say I am a centrist or a progressive. I have only one ideology: this economy we built so painstakingly must not be stopped. To save the economy, we must change politics. If that means winning, I will become Kim Duck-soo, Hong Duck-soo, Ahn Duck-soo, or even Na Duck-soo. All of them are needed and will play big roles. I am just a short-lived stepping stone. I came to serve that role. I sincerely hope they step on my back to carry this country into a better future. Let us unite—not for any one of us, but for our economy and our people. Let us carry them forward on the grandest palanquin. Until my last day, I want to fulfill my duty to the country and people I have served for 50 years. I will carry everyone with me. I firmly believe that in their hearts, we all think the same. Thank you." 2025-05-10 16:48:32

PPP defends candidate switch as last resort, Kim calls move illegal political purge SEOUL, May 10 (AJP) - The People Power Party (PPP) on Saturday defended its decision to revoke Kim Moon-soo’s presidential nomination and initiate the selection of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as its new candidate, describing the move as an emergency measure in response to failed unification talks and mounting internal division. The party’s leadership maintains that the action was legal. Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly, PPP emergency committee chair Kwon Young-se told the leadership made a “painful but necessary decision” under Article 74-2 of the party constitution, comparing the action to the historical Confucian concept of "Eupchammasok"—a righteous but difficult sacrifice of one’s own ally for the greater good. “More than 80 percent of our members wanted unification before the candidate registration deadline,” Kwon said. “They demanded that we field a single, competitive nominee under the PPP banner to defeat Lee Jae-myung and prevent authoritarian rule.” The candidate switch comes after the collapse of unification talks between Kim and the former prime minister. While the PPP leadership insisted that consolidation be completed by the May 11 registration deadline, Kim argued for a public poll scheduled on May 15–16 to determine a unified nominee. As tensions escalated, the party opened a one-hour overnight registration window on May 10, removing Kim and registering Han instead. According to Kwon, the decision was driven by the party’s responsibility to act when unification negotiations failed. “This was not about serving any one faction. It was the last and only hope to win this election,” he said. He also criticized Kim for prolonging the process and undermining internal trust. “For Kim Moon-soo, unification became a tactic to secure the nomination, not a sincere effort to align behind a stronger candidate,” Kwon said, accusing Kim of “spreading falsehoods, attacking the party, and turning supporters against its leadership.” Despite the move, the party emphasized that the switch is not final. The PPP is holding a full-member vote through 9 p.m. on May 10 to determine whether Han should officially become the nominee. A national committee vote on May 11 will follow. If less than half of respondents support the change, the party will reinstate Kim as its candidate. Kim Moon-soo, however, has rejected the leadership’s actions as illegitimate. In a morning press conference held at 9:50 a.m., Kim called the overnight registration process a “political coup” and vowed to pursue legal and political action. “Democracy in our party died last night,” he said. “This was an unconstitutional and illegal purge of a rightfully elected candidate.” Kim also filed an injunction with the Seoul Southern District Court to suspend the party’s decision, just hours after an earlier court rejected a similar request to block the party’s emergency proceedings. As the PPP awaits the outcome of its internal vote and prepares for possible legal fallout, the party now faces the prospect of a deepening internal rift just weeks before the June 3 presidential election. 2025-05-10 13:42:38

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