- Yoon leaves PPP to support Kim Moon-soo, defend Republic of Korea
- Pro-Yoon rallies turn violent; four supporters receive jail terms.
- Kim gains spotlight for not apologising over civilian rule suspension
South Korea’s ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Saturday that he is leaving the conservative People Power Party (PPP), according to his Facebook post.
The announcement comes as PPP’s presidential candidate is badly trailing liberal Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung in the polls before the June 3 snap election.
According to a Gallup Korea poll released on Friday, some 29% supported PPP presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, compared to 51% for frontrunner Lee.
Yoon, whose December surprise martial law and subsequent ouster by impeachment brought about the snap presidential election, had been called by party members to leave the party in an effort to muster more support from moderate voters who negatively view his actions.
“I am leaving the People Power Party to fulfill my responsibility to protect the free Republic of Korea … Please lend your support to Kim Moon-soo,” Yoon said in his post, referring to South Korea’s official name.
Candidates Lee and Kim are set to face off in their first televised debate on Sunday.
Yoon’s martial law declaration — which he claimed was necessary to break legislative gridlock and “root out” pro-North Korean “anti-state” forces — garnered support from extreme religious figures and right-wing YouTubers.
Pro-Yoon rallies turned violent in January when extremist supporters angered by the court´s approval of his formal arrest warrant stormed a Seoul courthouse. Four of them were handed jail terms this week.
Yoon had been accused of tacitly encouraging the violence, having sent a message in early January to his hardline supporters warning that the country was “in danger” and pledging to stand with them “to the very end”.
On Saturday, Yoon said the upcoming snap election is the “last chance to prevent totalitarian dictatorship and protect liberal democracy and the rule of law.”
According to the latest Gallup poll released Friday, the Democratic Party’s Lee — who is currently facing multiple criminal trials — is leading with 51% support, followed by the PPP’s Kim at 29%.
The PPP’s candidate Kim shot to public attention as the only cabinet member who refused to bow in apology for failing to prevent Yoon’s brief suspension of civilian rule.
But Kim apologised for Yoon’s martial law bid for the first time earlier this week, saying he is “sincerely sorry to the people who are suffering” because of it.
