Kim Moonsoo: "Will Pursue Constitutional Amendment to Change the 1987 System, Build Alliances with Any Group" [Full Acceptance Speech]

Kim Moonsoo Elected as People Power Party Presidential Candidate
"We Must Prevent Democratic Party Dictatorship... Will Build Strong Alliances"

Kim Moonsoo, former Minister of Employment and Labor, who was elected as the final presidential candidate of the People Power Party, stated on May 2, "To prevent the Democratic Party and Lee Jaemyung's faction from coming to power, I will build strong alliances with any group."

Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, made these remarks during his acceptance speech at KINTEX in Ilsan, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on this day.

Kim declared, "We have gathered here with the determination to win this presidential election at all costs," and pledged, "Even if I am shattered to pieces, I will ensure victory."

Kim emphasized political reform, vowing to change the 1987 system. To achieve this, he pledged to pursue constitutional amendment and to reform the political, judicial, and electoral systems. He also announced plans to grant the Board of Audit and Inspection the authority to audit the National Election Commission and to abolish the early voting system.

Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, is delivering his acceptance speech as the final candidate at the 5th party convention held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on May 3, 2025. Photo by Yoon Dongjoo

He also directed criticism at Lee Jaemyung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate. Kim stated, "If we fail to stop the Democratic Party's dictatorship, liberal democracy will collapse and the future of the Republic of Korea will be bleak," and asserted, "We must not allow someone who has tainted the National Assembly with lies and crime to become the president of the Republic of Korea."

Kim also mentioned his plan for a "big tent" coalition to secure victory in the presidential election. He said, "I will build strong alliances with any group," and added, "This will be pursued through procedures and methods that the public and party members can accept."

In conclusion, Kim stated, "I will become the president who realizes the dreams of the youth, the president of jobs, the security president who eliminates the fear of North Korea's nuclear weapons, and the president of free unification," pledging, "I will make the Republic of Korea even greater and set it right."

On this day, Kim won with a total vote share of 56.53%, defeating former People Power Party leader Han Donghoon, who received 43.47%. In the party member vote, Kim received 61.25% (246,519 votes), leading Han, who received 38.75% (155,961 votes), by more than 20 percentage points. In the public opinion poll, Kim also led with 51.81%, ahead of Han's 48.19%.

Full text of Kim Moonsoo's acceptance speech as the People Power Party presidential candidate

Fellow citizens!

Dear party members!

We have all endured a harsh winter.

Breaking through despair and anger,

we have gathered here today.

Despite the shouts of countless citizens, the president was impeached.

Our democracy is facing a crisis.

Today, we have gathered here

with the determination to win this presidential election at all costs.

Victory in the presidential election!

I am ready.

How about you? Are you confident?

Thank you for selecting me, Kim Moonsoo,

as the People Power Party's presidential candidate.

I feel a great sense of responsibility.

Even if I am shattered to pieces,

I will ensure victory.

Candidate Han Donghoon! Thank you.

Candidate Ahn Cheolsoo! Thank you.

Candidate Hong Joonpyo! Thank you for your hard work.

Candidate Na Kyungwon! Thank you.

Candidates Yang Hyangja, Yoo Jeongbok, Lee Cheolwoo!

Thank you all.

Let us all join hands and secure victory.

I will defend the free Republic of Korea.

I will overcome the economic and livelihood crisis.

I will promote harmony and communication.

We can do it.

We must do it.

I will do it.

I will win.

I will surely win.

Respected citizens!

Thirty-nine years ago today, I fought for direct presidential elections,

facing tear gas in the process.

I, Kim Moonsoo,

have always lived passionately, in the lowest places.

As a child, my wish was simply to have a warm meal.

I was the only one among seven siblings to attend university,

but I gave up on personal success.

Rather than for myself,

I dedicated myself to this country and to the poor.

I became an activist, was expelled from university,

and lived as a laborer for seven years.

To live as a laborer forever,

I obtained eight certifications.

At Guro Industrial Complex, I met my wife, whose hometown is Suncheon, Jeonnam,

and we got married.

On the mountaintop of Bongcheon-dong, in a single-room newlywed home,

we had and raised our child.

I served three terms as a National Assembly member, two terms as governor of Gyeonggi Province,

and as Minister of Employment and Labor.

At every moment, I remained with those in the lowest places,

never leaving the weak behind.

Fellow citizens!

The Republic of Korea is in crisis now.

The Democratic Party has submitted impeachment motions against 31 people.

The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, ministers,

the Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission,

the Prosecutor General, and even prosecutors in charge of investigations

have all been subjected to indiscriminate impeachment.

They have created all sorts of unconstitutional and harmful laws

against liberal democracy and the market economy.

By cutting the budget,

they are paralyzing the government.

By mobilizing lawmakers, they have created a "bulletproof" National Assembly.

In what other country in the world has its parliament ever done this?

This is nothing short of the worst parliamentary dictatorship in history.

Already, for the second time,

a president elected by the people has been impeached.

The National Assembly has brought down the president,

controls the courts and the Constitutional Court,

and is destroying the separation of powers.

When the Supreme Court corrected Lee Jaemyung's violation of the election law,

they threatened to "fix" the judiciary.

They are even proposing laws to halt Lee Jaemyung's trial,

so that his trial cannot proceed any further.

If these people seize power,

a terrible dictatorship will unfold.

Isn't Lee Jaemyung, with 89.77%, already a dictator?

Dear party members!

If our People Power Party is to win the presidential election, we must be reborn,

completely transform ourselves.

I will reform the party as quickly as possible.

I will swiftly reorganize the party so that the candidate and the party can become one.

The People Power Party must not be a party of vested interests,

but must be reborn as the party of the people.

With a passionate heart from the lowest places, we must practice politics of dedication together with the people.

We must become a party that listens to the sighs of the people,

and wipes away their tears.

Third-rate politics is undermining Korea's competitiveness,

and holding back the economy and people's livelihoods.

Because we failed to unite and remained divided,

the president has been impeached twice.

I will pursue constitutional amendment to change the outdated 1987 system.

I will reform the political, judicial, and electoral systems.

I will have the Board of Audit and Inspection audit the National Election Commission,

and abolish the early voting system.

I will abolish the privilege of parliamentary immunity from arrest.

If it is to prevent the Democratic Party and Lee Jaemyung's faction from coming to power, I will build strong alliances with any group.

I will pursue this through procedures and methods

that the public and our party members can accept.

And finally, I will win.

Fellow citizens!

Dear party members!

We must overcome the economic and livelihood crisis

and build an even greater Republic of Korea.

The history of the Republic of Korea is a miracle in world history.

The Republic of Korea is the greatest country in its 5,000-year history.

The miracle of the Republic of Korea

was possible because we chose liberal democracy.

We repelled the 6·25 communist invasion.

We worked while fighting against North Korea's constant provocations.

With blood, sweat, and tears, we built one of the world's top 10 economies.

But now, our birth rate is at the lowest level.

Let us restart the growth engine of the Republic of Korea.

I will make Korea a country where it is good to do business.

I will create a government that warmly cares for the weak in the labor force.

I will create many jobs that young people dream of.

I will create an environment where young people can get married.

I will make Korea a country where it is good to have and raise children.

We must not pass on a mountain of debt to future generations.

I will promote the second pension reform,

with the participation of youth representatives.

I will make Korea a startup paradise for young entrepreneurs.

Dear party members who love the Republic of Korea!

I will not allow extremist groups that deny our system

to disrupt our country.

I will firmly restore the Republic of Korea as a liberal democracy.

If we fail to stop the Democratic Party's dictatorship,

liberal democracy will collapse and the future of the Republic of Korea will be bleak.

We must not allow someone who has tainted the National Assembly with lies and crime

to become the president of the Republic of Korea.

I, Kim Moonsoo,

will make the Republic of Korea even greater and set it right.

I will become the youth president who realizes the dreams of the youth.

I will become the president of jobs.

I will become the security president who eliminates the fear of North Korea's nuclear weapons.

I will become the president of free unification.

Let us all join hands

and march vigorously toward an even greater Republic of Korea.

Thank you.