Kim Moon-soo Hints at Presidential Run, Claims Several People 'Betrayed' Yoon, Calls for Impeachment

Press Conference by Civic Group Coalition Urges Candidacy on the 5th
Joining People Power Party "Depends on Circumstances"

Kim Moon-soo, Minister of Employment and Labor, said he has "no ambition" to run in the early presidential election but left open the possibility, stating, "The country cannot continue like this." He expressed outrage over the impeachment of former President Yoon Seok-yeol, questioning, "Is it right for a few constitutional court justices to join forces and impeach a president elected by the people?"

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo mentioned his early presidential election candidacy at a press conference on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News

Minister Kim made these remarks on the 5th at a press conference urging him to declare his candidacy, held by a coalition of civic groups supporting him, including the Liberal Democratic Citizens' Union and the Great Nature Environmental Union.

He also directly criticized the Constitutional Court, which ruled to impeach former President Yoon Seok-yeol. Kim said, "The core of the democratic constitution is the direct election of the president. For this, we fought through the democratization movement for 20 years from the 1970s to the 1980s, making many sacrifices." He added, "The current constitution is the result, but we need to think about whether it is right for a few members of the National Assembly to betray and join the opposition party to surpass 200 seats, and then for a few constitutional court justices to join forces to impeach a president elected by the people." The day before, he had also expressed regret over the impeachment of former President Yoon, calling it "regrettable."

Regarding his candidacy, he said, "I have no ambition. However, the country cannot continue like this. When a president is elected, a few people conspire to impeach him."

He also mentioned the need for constitutional reform. "Whether it is former President Park Geun-hye or former President Yoon, whoever becomes president next, if things continue like this, we cannot help but question whether this is democracy," he said. "The act of a few people gathering to impeach a president elected by the people has happened twice already; it should not happen a third time. This must be corrected."

Among conservative potential candidates, Minister Kim, who is leading in approval ratings, currently has no party affiliation. In 2020, he co-founded the Freedom Unification Party with Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon and was appointed party leader, subsequently leaving the People Power Party. When asked whether he would rejoin the People Power Party, Kim said, "I have not joined yet, but I will decide after seeing how things go."

Current presidential candidates within the People Power Party include Minister Kim Moon-soo, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, former party leader Han Dong-hoon, Assemblyman Ahn Cheol-soo, former Assemblyman Yoo Seung-min, and former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong. In addition, more than ten candidates have expressed their intention to run, so a 'candidate preliminary screening (cut-off)' process will be necessary to narrow down the field.