Controversial PPP figure drops from race, but denies pressure from the top

The People Power Party emergency steering committee member Kim Gyeong-ryul initiated tensions between the party and the president's office by comparing the first lady to Marie Antoinette. Kim on Sunday said he was withdrawing from the election.

People Power Party (PPP) emergency steering committee member Kim Gyeong-ryul passes by the party interim leader Han Dong-hoon at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday. [YONHAP]

People Power Party (PPP) emergency steering committee member Kim Gyeong-ryul denied that pressure from the presidential office influenced his decision not to run in the upcoming election.

"If there were any suggestions [from the president’s office], I might not have accepted them,” Kim said on Monday. “I have received no messages from the president’s office."

Kim, who is part of the interim leadership at the PPP, announced on Sunday that he was withdrawing from the general election.

This decision followed a controversy he initiated by comparing the first lady to Marie Antoinette.

The controversy stemmed from the first lady receiving a Christian Dior handbag from a pastor, who covertly filmed the situation using a camera attached to his wristwatch.

The video was later uploaded online by a YouTuber with a history of issues with the first lady. The YouTube had purchased the handbag.

The president's office accused the YouTuber and the pastor of conspiring against the first lady in a smear campaign ahead of the election.

The office noted that the recorded video was released a year after the incident.

Despite Kim addressing the need for President Yoon Suk Yeol or the president’s office to clarify the accusations against the first lady to the public, his comment was viewed as the PPP interim leadership stepping out of line.

This unexpected tension led to a strained relationship between President Yoon Suk Yeol and the interim party leader, Han Dong-hoon, who had previously worked together as prosecutors for a quarter of a century.

Acknowledging the rift, Han confirmed that the president’s office had requested his resignation as party head.

However, the strained relationship seemed to improve after Han and Yoon met at a disaster site, followed by a two-hour luncheon.

Despite this apparent reconciliation, the issue surrounding the PPP’s steering committee member, Kim, remained unresolved.

Some PPP members demanded that Kim, who had been hand-picked by Han to run against Democratic Party (DP) heavyweight Jung Chung-rae in Mapo in the upcoming election, step down.

Jung is a close confidant of DP leader Lee Jae-myung and has strong support among DP supporters and Mapo residents.

On Jan. 17, Han introduced Kim during a New Year greeting in Seoul as the contender against Jung, emphasizing Kim's experience with the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, one of the nation’s most prominent liberal civic groups,

However, he underwent a significant shift in his views and became critical of the DP and other affiliated liberal parties, including the Justice Party.

This change came when President Moon Jae-in appointed Cho Kuk as justice minister despite accusations related to his children's alleged illegal admissions to colleges and medical schools.

During his New Year’s address, PPP interim leader Han said that Kim was the ideal candidate due to his background as a former liberal, providing valuable insights into the nature of the DP and its members, many of whom were activists.

However, some members of the PPP argued that Kim should announce that he would not be running for the election as a gesture of good faith after the reconciliation between Han and Yoon.

The president’s office also raised concerns about how Han personally nominated Kim as an election candidate.

They argued that the nomination should have followed the proper candidate selection process, which typically involves competing with other candidates for the same spot.

Until Sunday, both Han and Kim appeared determined for Kim to run against the DP candidate.

However, on Monday, Han expressed his respect for Kim's decision not to participate in the election.

“It’s unfortunate [that Kim is not running in the election],” Han said. “But I decided to respect it because it was his firm decision.”

Kim said he would continue to fight against the DP, although not as a candidate.

“I will continue raising questions about the so-called progressives and the DP, who, on the surface, claim to work for the greater good but, in reality, habitually seek personal gain,” Kim said.

Kim apologized to Mapo voters and other politicians who had endorsed him.

However, he said no one pressured him to influence his decision.

“I talked with Han the night before and yesterday,” Kim said. “But neither Han nor myself are people who do what we are told.”

He said that his decision was final.

The presidential spokesperson, Kim Soo-kyung, issued a statement on Monday, calling for nominations to follow a “fair and transparent system where no one gets preferential treatment.”

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]