Kim Moon-soo: 'I would have tried to stop Yoon Suk Yeol from imposing martial law if I knew'

Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, said Sunday that he would have stopped former President Yoon Suk Yeol from declaring martial law if he knew about it in advance.

During a televised debate Sunday, Kim said in response to a question from his progressive opponent, the third Democratic Labor Party's Kwon Young-guk, that Yoon was "wrong to declare martial law."

"If I knew about it, I would have no doubt tried to stop President Yoon from declaring martial law," Kim said.

Kim acknowledged that Yoon, the former president of the People Power Party, dealt a blow to the economy with his martial law decree. "It is true that as a result of martial law, small businesses are suffering," he said.

The day after his nomination with the People Power Party was finalized on May 13, Kim apologized on behalf of the party's former president for his declaring martial law on Dec. 3.