PPP narrows down presidential candidates to 2

Former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, left, and former People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon pose with bouquets at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday, after being chosen as the final two presidential contenders. Joint Press Corps

Former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo and former People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon advanced on Tuesday as the final two contenders set to face off in the PPP's final round of primary this Saturday.

PPP Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo were eliminated in the second-round primary.

The rankings and vote percentages of each contender were not disclosed, leaving it unclear which of the two finalists secured more support.

With no candidate securing a majority in the second round of the primary, a final runoff between Kim and Han will be held to determine the party’s presidential nominee for the June 3 presidential election.

Kim emphasized that he would carry forward the pledges of Ahn and Hong, saying he would move on to the next step with the many dreams Hong aspired to achieve and with his passion.

"I will do my best to overcome the current crisis facing Korea and help the country become a great nation," Kim said.

Han stressed the importance of confronting Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), as a unified team. Despite their high-profile political roles, Kim and Han continue to lag well behind Lee in recent public opinion polls, underscoring the durability of Lee’s support base.

"I will view Kim not as a competitor, but as a partner throughout the remaining primary process, and together we will become one team to fight and defeat Lee," Han said.

As Kim opposed the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and Han supported it, the final stage of the primary is expected to deepen the divide between the party’s pro- and anti-impeachment factions.

While the first round of the primary was based solely on public opinion polls, the second round was determined through the party’s weighted system, with 50 percent of the outcome determined by party members' votes and 50 percent by public opinion polls.

In the second round, 390,004 out of 765,773 eligible party members, or 50.93 percent, took part in the vote from Sunday to Monday.

Following a one-on-one debate scheduled for Wednesday, the final primary will take place on Saturday, using the same weighted system as the second round — 50 percent from party member votes and 50 percent from public opinion polls. Voting for the runoff will be conducted on Thursday and Friday.

The candidate who receives the most votes at the showdown will be officially nominated as the PPP’s presidential candidate.

After being eliminated, Hong announced his intention to retire, ending his 30-year political career.

Single candidacy with acting president remains key variable

Meanwhile, acting President Han Duck-soo's potential presidential bid remains a critical variable for the PPP.

In either case of Kim or Han Dong-hoon winning the final primary, the prospect of fielding a single, unified candidate with the acting president grows more likely.

Han Duck-soo’s possible bid is drawing greater attention, particularly as he is expected to announce his resignation this week.

Political sector expects Han to step down on Thursday and quickly announce his presidential bid, intensifying efforts to unify the broader conservative bloc ahead of the election.

Regarding the acting president's potential bid, PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong said Tuesday that the party believes uniting all forces opposing Lee is necessary to defeat him, reflecting what they view as the will of the people.

Before the second primary results came out, Hong proposed bringing Han into the party and holding a one-shot primary among Han and the two finalists to select the party’s presidential nominee.

"The idea itself is good, but since Han has not officially declared his candidacy yet, it feels a bit premature to discuss this at this stage," Kim said regarding the proposal.

"Since the party will also have its own considerations, I believe the matter will be discussed gradually."

Contrary to Kim, Han Dong-hoon has been lukewarm about a single candidacy with the acting president, although he did not oppose it.

"With the primary having narrowed the field from 11 candidates to just two, it is unrealistic for Han Duck-soo to suddenly join at this point," he said.