Kim Moonsoo Files Injunction with Court Seeking Recognition as Presidential Candidate

Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, filed an injunction with the court on May 8, 2025, seeking official recognition of his status as the party's presidential candidate.

On the same day, Kim appeared on a KBS current affairs program and stated, "I have submitted an application for an injunction to the Seoul Southern District Court to confirm my status as the presidential candidate."

Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, enters and takes a seat at the presidential candidate office in the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on May 8, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

This action is based on Article 74 of the party constitution, which stipulates that 'from the day the presidential candidate is elected, that candidate has priority over all party affairs.' Kim argues that, accordingly, the authority to convene the party convention should also rest with the presidential candidate who holds this priority.

Kim criticized the party leadership, saying, "There is already a legitimate and duly elected People Power Party presidential candidate, me, Kim Moonsoo. Yet, they are urging me to quickly unify with Han Ducksoo, an independent candidate who has said he will not register after May 11. They are pressuring me to unify just days after I was elected on May 3. Then what was the point of holding a primary?"

Separately, on May 7, eight district party chairpersons who support Kim filed an injunction with the court to prohibit the convening of the party convention.

Meanwhile, at 4:30 p.m. on May 8, Kim is scheduled to meet Han Ducksoo, the former Prime Minister and independent preliminary candidate, at the National Assembly for a second round of unification talks.

The two candidates previously met on May 7 to discuss unification but ended the meeting without reaching an agreement. As of May 8, there remain significant differences regarding the timing and method of unification.

Kim has proposed that both candidates campaign for the next week, hold a TV debate on May 14, and conduct public opinion polls on May 15 and 16 to select the final candidate. In contrast, Han has declared that if unification is not achieved before the candidate registration deadline on May 11, he will not register for this presidential election.