Thursday, May 14, 2025

Hi everyone,

Happy May! We are excited to announce that the Sejong Society is collaborating with the DC AANHPI Coalition on a networking event celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. We hope you can join us to make new connections and learn more about the different organizations. Please share with your network!

The Sejong Society of Washington DC
 

News

The PPP Remains Fraught With Chaos

Daniel Mitchum

The People’s Power Party (PPP) has seen considerable internal strife and rising public disapproval following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. The former president’s declaration of martial law in December 2024 jump-started a leadership crisis which triggered a cascade of leadership challenges within the PPP.

The PPP’s presidential nominee, Kim Moon-soo, who secured victory through a primary voting session has faced pressure to step aside in favor of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo who also stood as acting president following Yoon’s ousting. The conflict ballooned into accusations and legal challenges. Kim called efforts to remove him a “overnight political coup,” and although Han sought to distance himself from the actions of former president Yoon, some viewed him as a tainted candidate. An emergency committee held by the PPP sought to nullify Kim’s nomination, yet the party failed to garner enough votes, leading to Kim’s reinstatement as nominee. Han has since accepted the results of the vote.

Recent polls reflect an erosion of public trust within the PPP. A Gallup Korea survey showed that as 75% of respondents supporting Yoon's impeachment, the party's approval rating has plummeted to a historic low of 24%, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction among conservative voters.

As the June 3 snap presidential election approaches, the PPP faces the daunting task of reconciling internal factions and rebuilding public confidence. Kim has launched his bid as presidential candidate yet a hypothetical matchup between him and Lee Jae-myung has Lee with a lead of over 50 percent.

This Week in Korean History

On May 16, 1961, a pivotal moment in modern Korean history unfolded when Major General Park Chung-hee led a military coup d’état that overthrew South Korea’s democratically elected Second Republic. The coup, carried out by the military’s Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, was swift and largely bloodless, but it marked the end of a brief experiment in parliamentary democracy and the beginning of authoritarian military rule that would last for decades.