Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, filed a provisional injunction to have his status recognized as a presidential candidate, which was dismissed by the court on the 9th. Alongside this, a provisional injunction filed by People Power Party committee members outside the National Assembly to halt the People Power Party national committee and convention was also dismissed.
Accordingly, the procedures that the People Power Party is pushing forward to unify Kim Moon-soo and Han Duck-soo's candidacies can proceed.
On this day, the Seoul Southern District Court's Civil Division 51, presided over by Chief Judge Kwon Seong-su, dismissed the provisional injunction filed by Kim seeking recognition of his status as a presidential candidate against the People Power Party. The court also did not accept the provisional injunction filed by seven committee chairs of the People Power Party supporting Kim, seeking to prohibit the national committee meeting scheduled for the 11th.
Earlier, the leadership of the People Power Party stated regarding the court's decision on the provisional injunction, "If accepted, it means we will proceed with Kim Moon-soo as our candidate, and if dismissed, it opens up the possibility of further procedures to replace the candidate."
The leadership of the People Power Party announced plans to convene the national committee on the 8th or 9th and the convention on the 10th or 11th, keeping in mind the possibility of unifying between Kim and independent candidate Han Duck-soo. In response, Kim's side has expressed opposition to this, calling it a "convention convened for candidate replacement."
On this day, the court responded to Kim's request to confirm his temporary status as a presidential candidate, stating, "Currently, the People Power Party is not completely denying Kim's status as a presidential candidate," adding, "There is no need to pursue this part of the request, nor is there any benefit to seeking a judgment on the provisional injunction."
Additionally, the court remarked on Kim's side's request regarding the prohibition of the People Power Party's national committee and convention, noting, "Kim has continuously expressed his intention to unify with candidate Han Duck-soo during the primary process," and concluded, "It cannot be assumed that Kim, who has a direct interest in the unification procedure related to the candidate confirmation, is unconditionally guaranteed priority in party affairs." The court further stated, "In the results of the overall party members' survey, the support ratio for 'unification' and 'timing before candidate registration' exceeded 80%," concluding that it is difficult to determine that the People Power Party's promotion of the convention or national committee meetings based on public opinion survey results constitutes a serious violation of the law.