Kim Moonsoo Attends First Lawmakers' Assembly After Unification Pressure... Uncertainty Remains Over Resolving Conflict

He is expected to persuade party members and lawmakers directly, citing the impossibility of a public opinion poll
Kim and party leadership remain at odds

Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, will attend the party's general assembly of lawmakers on May 9. Until now, Kim had refused the party leadership's requests to attend the assembly, but following a series of setbacks?including the breakdown of unification talks with former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo and the party's insistence on pushing ahead with a public opinion poll for candidate unification?he appears to be attending in an effort to persuade the party directly.

At around 11:46 a.m., Kim left his campaign office in Yeouido, Seoul, and headed to the People Power Party lawmakers' general assembly. The assembly was originally scheduled for 11:00 a.m., but was delayed as Kim remained at his campaign office to receive briefings. When asked by reporters what he planned to say at the assembly, Kim left the office in silence. At the same time, Kwon Youngse, the emergency committee chairman, and Kwon Sungdong, the floor leader, were waiting to greet him at the steps in front of the National Assembly's Rotunda Hall.

Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, and Han Ducksoo, an independent presidential preliminary candidate, are embracing after concluding a meeting related to candidate unification at the Riverside Library in the National Assembly on May 8, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

It appears that Kim is attending the assembly to make a last-minute appeal to lawmakers, as internal discord within the People Power Party over unification has now escalated into an unavoidable legal dispute. The party leadership has requested that Kim unify with former Prime Minister Han by the final day of the presidential candidate registration period (May 11), but Kim has pushed back, insisting that unification should take place by May 16 after candidate registration and subsequent debates. The unification meetings between Kim and Han on May 7 and 8 also broke down due to disagreements over timing.

In particular, the party leadership is pressuring Kim by suggesting that the ongoing unification poll (50% public opinion, 50% party member vote) could be used to consider replacing the candidate. In response, Kim's camp has filed for an injunction with the Seoul Southern District Court to prohibit a party convention and to confirm Kim's status as the presidential candidate.

However, it remains uncertain whether the conflict between the party leadership, lawmakers, and Kim can be resolved. At a party strategy meeting, floor leader Kwon Sungdong conveyed Kim's intention to attend the assembly, reiterating, "During the primary, candidate Kim Moonsoo promised a swift unification. Many party members and citizens supported Kim based on that promise, and a leader must keep his promises." When asked by reporters after the meeting whether the party would force unification if no agreement is reached by May 11, Kwon replied, "No decision has been made yet. All possibilities remain open at this point."

On the other hand, Kim's chief of staff, former lawmaker Kim Jaewon, appeared on YTN Radio and countered, "This is an attempt to forcibly remove candidate Kim. The current poll is being conducted in a way that is absolutely disadvantageous to Kim, and they are trying to use it as grounds to oust him."

Kwon Sungdong, floor leader of the People Power Party, has been continuing a hunger strike for three days at the National Assembly on the 9th, urging presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo to promptly unify with independent preliminary candidate Han Deoksu. 2025.5.9 Photo by Kim Hyunmin