South Korea’s Conservative Party Pulls a Shocking U-Turn in Presidential Race

In an unprecedented move, South Korea’s embattled conservative party has abruptly nullified its primary election results and replaced its presidential candidate just one week after announcing Kim Moon Soo as the nominee. The People Power Party’s leadership announced on Saturday that former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will now run for president, a decision that has plunged the party into turmoil ahead of the June 3 by-election.

Kim Moon Soo, a staunch conservative and former labor minister under former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was initially declared the party’s candidate on May 3 after securing 56.3 percent of the primary vote. His victory came amid criticism of his opponent, a reformist who opposed Yoon’s controversial attempt to impose martial law last December. However, the party’s leadership, which remains loyal to Yoon, swiftly turned against Kim, pressuring him to step aside and endorse Han Duck-soo, who they believe offers a stronger challenge against the liberal Democratic Party’s front-runner, Lee Jae-myung.

Han Duck-soo, who served as acting president following Yoon’s impeachment by parliament in December and was officially removed by the Constitutional Court in April, resigned from office on May 2 to pursue a presidential bid. With a long career in public service, Han argues that his experience qualifies him to lead amid rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties, worsened by policies from U.S. President Donald Trump.

After unsuccessful negotiations between Han and Kim to unify their candidacies, the party’s emergency committee canceled Kim’s nomination in the early hours of Saturday. Subsequently, Han was officially registered as a party member and its new presidential candidate. However, this sudden change still requires approval through an all-party vote scheduled for Saturday and a final endorsement by the party’s national committee on Sunday, which marks the registration deadline for candidates with the election authorities.

This dramatic reversal highlights the deep internal divisions within South Korea’s conservative camp and raises questions about the fairness and stability of the upcoming election. The political landscape is now more unpredictable than ever as the nation prepares for a pivotal vote in a time of mounting uncertainty.