Inside main conservative party's presidential candidate ping-pong

People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo (right) and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attempt to hug for photographers after PPP members voted to finalize Kim as the party’s standard bearer, at the party’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on Sunday. (Yonhap)
People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo (right) and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attempt to hug for photographers after PPP members voted to finalize Kim as the party’s standard bearer, at the party’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on Sunday. (Yonhap)

Former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo registered on Sunday as the People Power Party’s standard bearer for the June 3 election, capping another whirlwind week of political turmoil in South Korea centered on drama within the conservative bloc. His candidacy — confirmed through the party primary, then abruptly canceled by the conservative party leadership at 3 a.m. Saturday and reinstated late the same night — has left many stunned, worried and struggling to understand the chaotic twists and turns. Here’s a recap of what happened:

May 3

Kim Moon-soo won the People Power Party primary after three rounds of voting among various contenders and was officially named the party’s sole candidate for the June 3 presidential election.

Kim Moon-soo holds up a bouquet after winning the People Power Party’s presidential primary at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on May 3. (Yonhap)
Kim Moon-soo holds up a bouquet after winning the People Power Party’s presidential primary at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on May 3. (Yonhap)

May 6

Expressing frustration over Kim’s slow pace in merging his campaign with Han Duck-soo, an independent contender who was until he resigned on May 1 South Korea’s acting president and prime minister, the People Power Party leadership scheduled a National Committee meeting and a party convention — steps widely seen as preparation to replace him. In response, Kim filed a court injunction to block both gatherings.

May 7–8

Han (right), then an independent presidential candidate, and People Power Party presidential candidate Kim meet for talks at a cafe in the National Assembly in Seoul on May 8. (Yonhap)
Han (right), then an independent presidential candidate, and People Power Party presidential candidate Kim meet for talks at a cafe in the National Assembly in Seoul on May 8. (Yonhap)

Kim held a flurry of talks with Han, but the two failed to bridge their differences.

May 9

Court rejected Kim’s requests for an injunction to stop the party gatherings.

Kim walks out of a meeting of People Power Party lawmakers mid-session on May 9 at the National Assembly in Seoul, out of protest against remarks by floor leader Rep. Kwon Seong-dong (left), who urged him to merge his campaign with Han's immediately. (Yonhap)
Kim walks out of a meeting of People Power Party lawmakers mid-session on May 9 at the National Assembly in Seoul, out of protest against remarks by floor leader Rep. Kwon Seong-dong (left), who urged him to merge his campaign with Han's immediately. (Yonhap)

May 9–10 (overnight)

Around midnight, the People Power Party convened an emergency response committee meeting -- led by interim party chair Kwon Young-se and including floor leader Kweon Seong-dong -- to initiate the process of rescinding Kim’s candidacy.

The committee then opened up a special one-hour window for candidates within the party to register between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. At approximately 3:20 a.m., Han submitted his application to join the party and registered as the People Power Party's sole candidate, submitting more than 30 required documents.

At 4:40 a.m., the party officially listed online the candidacy of Han as its sole presidential candidate.

May 10 (morning to night)

A party-wide vote on the leadership-pushed replacement of the presidential candidate was held from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kim responded by filing a legal complaint, claiming the move was an unlawful attempt to force him out.

Supporters of Kim protest outside the People Power Party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on May 10. (Yonhap)
Supporters of Kim protest outside the People Power Party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on May 10. (Yonhap)

May 10 (late night)

People Power Party members voted against replacing Kim, effectively reinstating him as the party’s official presidential candidate.

May 11

Han said he would “humbly accept” the outcome.

Kim officially registered as the PPP’s candidate with the National Election Commission, capping a week of political turmoil and drama within the main conservative party.

Kim submits his application to run as the People Power Party's sole presidential candidate in the June 3 election at the National Election Commission office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, on Sunday. (Yonhap)
Kim submits his application to run as the People Power Party's sole presidential candidate in the June 3 election at the National Election Commission office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, on Sunday. (Yonhap)

shinjh@heraldcorp.com