Yoon leaves PPP as conservatives struggle to regroup before election

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol announced on May 17 that he is leaving the conservative People Power Party (PPP), signaling a break with his political base ahead of the June 3 presidential election.

“I am leaving the People Power Party today,” Yoon wrote in a Facebook post. “Though I depart from the party, I will continue to serve the cause of defending freedom and national sovereignty.”

Yoon, who served as president from 2022 to 2025, thanked party members for their support during his term but warned the country faces a critical crossroads. “South Korea stands at a fateful juncture: Will liberal democracy survive or collapse?” he wrote. “My decision to leave the party is part of my responsibility to safeguard the Republic of Korea.”

He also urged voters to back PPP candidate Kim Moon-soo, calling the election “the last chance to stop a totalitarian dictatorship.”

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol leaves the Seoul Central District Court on May 12, 2025, after attending the third hearing of his trial./News1

In response, Kim told reporters during a campaign stop in Gwangju that he respected Yoon’s decision and would work to unite and reform the party. “We will ensure the PPP becomes the kind of party the people can support,” he said.

The opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) dismissed Yoon’s move as a political calculation, calling it “an attempt to create an alibi for cutting ties with the ringleader of an insurrection.”

Yoon’s departure follows mounting calls within the PPP for him to leave the party, with some members urging a formal expulsion or voluntary exit to focus on the election. The party has struggled to narrow the polling gap with DPK candidate Lee Jae-myung amid setbacks including a failed unification deal with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and lingering controversy over Yoon’s role in the campaign.

PPP officials are hoping Yoon’s exit could reset the race in their favor. Han Dong-hoon, a former PPP leader who previously challenged Kim in the primaries, signaled plans to join Kim’s campaign next week. Meanwhile, a group of PPP lawmakers is set to depart for the United States on May 18 to persuade former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo to endorse Kim.

Still, analysts say Kim could face challenges expanding support beyond the conservative base. Critics point to his lack of a clear break with Yoon, as well as a controversial attempt to recruit former Defense Minister Chung Ho-yong — convicted for his role in the 1979 military coup and 1980 Gwangju massacre— as a senior campaign adviser.

Choi Chang-ryeol, a professor at Yong In University, said Kim’s ability to shift public opinion may hinge on the first televised debate between candidates on May 18. “If Kim fails to show a meaningful shift in his stance on impeachment and related issues, Yoon’s departure may have limited impact,” he said.