Kim Moonsoo and People Power Party's 'Unification' Dispute Reaches Court... Ruling Expected on the 9th Afternoon

Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, and Han Ducksoo, an independent presidential preliminary candidate, are meeting on the 8th at a coffee shop located in Sarangjae at the National Assembly in Seoul to discuss candidate unification. Photo by Yonhap News

Internal conflicts within the People Power Party over the unification of presidential candidates have escalated to legal proceedings.

The Civil Agreement Division 51 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Chief Judge Kwon Seongsu) held a hearing on May 8 regarding an injunction request filed by Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, and eight non-parliamentary party chapter heads against the party.

The eight non-parliamentary party chapter heads supporting Kim Moonsoo filed an injunction request the previous day, seeking to block the holding of the party convention and the National Committee. On the morning of May 8, Kim Moonsoo himself filed an additional request, demanding that his status as the presidential candidate be recognized.

Since the purposes of the requests were similar, the court reviewed them together on the same day. The legal representative for the non-parliamentary chapter heads argued, "Formally, the purpose of convening the party convention and National Committee is the unification of Kim Moonsoo and the independent preliminary candidate Han Ducksoo, but in reality, the party leadership is attempting to strip Kim Moonsoo of his status. The party is trying to give Han Ducksoo preferential treatment." The representative further pointed out that the party did not follow proper procedures, such as the requirements for delegates when announcing the convention, and that the agenda submitted to the National Committee, which concerns the replacement of the presidential candidate, violates the party constitution and regulations.

Kim Moonsoo's legal representative also argued, "To register as a candidate with the election commission on the 10th or 11th, a party nomination certificate is required, but it has not yet been received." In response, the party's legal representative countered, "From the early stages of the primary, Kim Moonsoo's side repeatedly expressed their intention to actively pursue unification with Han Ducksoo and secured support based on this, leading to his selection as the final candidate. Therefore, the unification process should have been carried out immediately, but it was not."

The party side added that the procedures for convening the party convention and National Committee were also lawful according to the party constitution and regulations. The court requested both sides to submit any additional opinions by 11 a.m. on May 9 and stated that a decision would be made during the day on May 9. As a result, it is expected that the court's ruling will be delivered in the afternoon of May 9.

Previously, the People Power Party leadership, considering the possibility of unification between Kim Moonsoo and independent preliminary candidate Han Ducksoo, announced that the National Committee would be convened on either May 8 or 9, and the party convention on May 10 or 11. Kim Moonsoo's side objected, claiming that the convention was being convened to replace the candidate.