4 PPP contenders reflect conservative party's internal struggles

Four presidential hopefuls have advanced to the second round of the People's Power Party (PPP)'s presidential primary. From left, Kim Moon-soo, Ahn Cheol-soo, Han Dong-hoon, and Hong Joon-pyo. Courtesy of PPP

Although Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) continues to lead in hypothetical matchups against all four presidential hopefuls from the People Power Party (PPP) ahead of the June 3 election, the PPP's contenders remain in a spirited game of political musical chairs — jockeying not just for the party’s nomination, but for a shot at catching up to Lee before the music stops.

And with time ticking down until the May 3 party convention to choose a single candidate, the PPP's stride appears to have deteriorated into a disjointed and awkward shuffle, reflecting growing internal discord and a lack of clear direction.

Four presidential hopefuls from the People Power Party clasp hands at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. From left are Kim Moon-soo, Ahn Cheol-soo, Han Dong-hoon and Hong Joon-pyo. National Assembly pool

Earlier this week, the PPP narrowed its presidential field to four contenders who will advance to the second round of its primary, selected from an initial pool of eight candidates. While the party did not reveal the candidates' rankings from the first round, the shortlist came with no major surprises.

Still, the sharply differing positions among the candidates on issues such as former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration and the legitimacy of his impeachment highlight the disarray within the conservative camp.

The second round of the PPP primary has shaped into a tight race between two candidates opposing the impeachment and two supporting it.

Kim Moon-soo, a presidential primary candidate from the People Power Party, holds a press conference at his campaign office in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, a progressive labor activist-turned-conservative politician, is one of two candidates who have vocally opposed the impeachment of the former president.

The former three-term lawmaker and two-term Gyeonggi Province governor was deeply involved in South Korea’s pro-democracy movements during his 20s and 30s, before entering politics in his mid-40s. As a leading student activist, he was once regarded as an iconic figure in the country's struggle for democracy. However, his dramatic ideological shift later in life has drawn sharp criticism from the liberal bloc.

His unwavering conservative stance led him to publicly assert that he believed Yoon’s impeachment would likely be rejected or dismissed on grounds of inadmissibility by the Constitutional Court, earning him strong endorsement from Yoon’s supporters.

During debates among the ruling PPP candidates, Kim further accused the opposition DPK of being the primary cause behind the political turmoil that led to the martial law crisis.

Ahn Cheol-soo, a presidential primary candidate from the People Power Party, holds a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

Ahn Cheol-soo stands on the opposite end of the spectrum from Kim on the issue of Yoon’s impeachment. The former medical doctor and computer software entrepreneur was one of the few PPP lawmakers who voted in favor of Yoon’s impeachment in the National Assembly, calling his martial law declaration a violation of the Constitution.

Since then, the four-term lawmaker — who spent much of his political career in the liberal camp — has consistently called for self-reflection and public apologies within the party, including during the debates. He has accused the PPP of shirking its responsibility, insisting that the party owes the public a formal apology.

"The DPK is attempting to frame the next presidential election as a showdown between Lee Jae-myung and Yoon Seok Yeol. ... Without reflection and an apology, the PPP faces inevitable defeat in the upcoming election, as it cannot escape the structural narrative the DPK has crafted for this campaign," Ahn pointed out during the party’s primary debates.

Han Dong-hoon, a presidential primary candidate from the People Power Party, holds a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Han Dong-hoon, former PPP leader and ex-justice minister under the Yoon administration, holds a similar stance with Ahn on the issue of Yoon’s impeachment.

Despite being close colleagues during their years as prosecutors — their relationship soured over the past year — Han strongly criticized Yoon’s abrupt martial law declaration on Dec. 3.

Although his specific proposals regarding Yoon’s political future have varied amid months of political turmoil — ranging from calls for Yoon’s early resignation to a joint leadership arrangement with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo — Han has consistently maintained his core stance in favor of impeachment and against the martial law declaration.

Faced with accusations of betrayal from within the PPP, Han ultimately stepped down from the party leadership, taking responsibility for the National Assembly's passage of the impeachment motion.

Hong Joon-pyo, a presidential primary candidate from the People Power Party, speaks during a meeting with medical doctors in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Hong Joon-pyo, former Daegu mayor and five-term lawmaker, is considered to be firmly on the conservative end of the spectrum within the PPP.

Like Han, Hong also began his career as a prosecutor before making the leap into politics. Known for his blunt and often provocative remarks, he has earned the nickname "Hongrump" — a portmanteau of "Hong" and "Trump" — which reflects both his outspoken style and his unfiltered rhetoric.

His style hasn’t changed when it comes to Yoon’s impeachment. He previously remarked that impeaching the president over the short-lived martial law seemed excessive, suggesting instead that Yoon should be given another chance.

He also remarked that Yoon’s martial law declaration came completely out of the blue, criticizing it as "highly inappropriate to invoke martial law to address issues that should have been resolved through political means." However, Hong added that he did not view the declaration as illegal. He further described those within the PPP who supported Yoon’s impeachment as "immature" or "thoughtless."