Kim Moon-soo’s hollow apology raises doubts about democratic commitment

As critics now ask whether Kim Moon-soo’s “big tent” is really just a tent for pro-Yoon loyalists, his apology rings hollow. If repentance lacks sincerity, it may do more harm than good.

People Power Party presidiental candidate Kim Moon-soo greets the party's campaigners at Sindorim Station in Guro District, western Seoul, on May 15. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo issued a second public apology Thursday over the Dec. 3 martial law declaration, acknowledging that it had been inappropriate. “Even if emergency powers are constitutionally guaranteed, invoking martial law before a national crisis beyond the control of police is unjustified,” Kim said. “Had I known in advance, I would have explained to former President Yoon Suk Yeol why it should not be implemented.”

While it was encouraging to see a presidential candidate express responsibility and bow to the public, Kim’s sincerity was immediately called into question by other remarks. He criticized the Constitutional Court’s unanimous 8-0 ruling that removed Yoon from office, comparing it to political decisions in North Korea and China. “We’ve now had back-to-back unanimous rulings, just like in communist states,” he said. He went further, accusing the court of threatening liberal democracy by failing to demonstrate ideological diversity.

This framing casts doubt on whether Kim truly believes the martial law order was wrong. The Constitutional Court ruled that Yoon’s emergency declaration violated the Constitution by using the military and police to suppress independent institutions and infringe on basic civil rights. The ruling was made unanimously by justices across the ideological spectrum, and the general public, despite earlier polarization, largely accepted the verdict.

Kim’s attempt to cast the court’s unity as a problem — rather than the unconstitutional nature of the martial law decree itself — is deeply problematic. Is he implying that a unanimous ruling against Yoon is more dangerous than the abuse of power that prompted it?

Within the People Power Party, pressure is mounting to distance itself from Yoon. Even a co-chair of the party’s election committee publicly urged Yoon to voluntarily leave the party. Kim, however, has held to the line that “it’s up to former President Yoon to decide.” Newly appointed interim party leader Kim Yong-tae, in his first statement, also called on Yoon to resign from the party. It remains unclear whether Kim Moon-soo coordinated with him, but Kim’s reluctance to break from Yoon raises questions about his appeal to moderate voters.

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol enters the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on May 12 for the third hearing of his trial on charges of leading an insurrection. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Rather than moving on from the impeachment and national trauma, the PPP’s campaign team has welcomed figures closely aligned with Yoon. Former prosecutor Seok Dong-hyun, who served as Yoon’s legal representative and was a candidate for the far-right Liberty Unification Party, has joined the campaign. Jang Ye-chan, who lost a nomination in last year’s general election due to inflammatory remarks, has returned to the party. Even former Defense Minister Chung Ho-yong, convicted for his role in the brutal crackdown on the 1980 uprising in Gwangju, was briefly named a senior adviser to Kim’s campaign before the appointment was rescinded.

As critics now ask whether Kim’s “big tent” is really just a tent for pro-Yoon loyalists, his apology rings hollow. If repentance lacks sincerity, it may do more harm than good.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.