Kim Moonsoo and Han Ducksoo Begin Unification Talks... Shake Hands and Say "You've Worked Hard"

Meeting Held at a Restaurant in Jongno-gu, Seoul Around 6:00 p.m.

Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, and former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo, who has declared his bid for the presidency, held a one-on-one meeting on May 7 to begin discussions on unification.

At around 6:00 p.m. that day, Kim and Han met at a restaurant in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and shook hands. Kim greeted Han first, saying, "You've been working hard," to which Han replied, "You've worked hard as well."

As they began taking photos, Han commented to Kim, "You've been in politics for a long time, so you must be very used to this kind of thing," and Kim responded, "You, too, have done a lot of things as Prime Minister."

Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, and Han Ducksoo, an independent preliminary candidate, are meeting on May 7, 2025, at a restaurant in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss unification. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

When Kim asked again, "It must be tough for you," Han replied, "I'm not someone who is used to politics. These days, I mostly meet with the media, and today I met with foreign correspondents."

The two then expressed concern about the current state of affairs, noting that "external issues are difficult and there are also conflicts domestically." In their closed-door meeting, the two are expected to exchange substantive opinions on the method of unification.

Kim, who had suspended his schedule the previous day, issued a statement proposing a meeting with Han, which led to their meeting that day. Just before the one-on-one meeting, Han also stated at a press conference that "if unification is not achieved, I will not register as an official presidential candidate."