Kim Ki-hyun "Will Not Participate in Presidential Primary... Deeply Responsible for Failing to Prevent Impeachment"

"I Will Take Time for Self-Reflection and Introspection"

Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, announced on the 10th that he will not participate in the upcoming People Power Party presidential primary.

On the same day, Kim wrote on social media (SNS), "In the end, we failed to prevent the impeachment of the president," adding, "I deeply feel the responsibility first and intend to take time for self-reflection and introspection."

Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, is answering questions from the press as he attends the 10th hearing of President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment trial held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul on February 20, 2025. Photo by Joint Press Corps

Kim said, "Although we could not prevent the president's impeachment, the past four months of enduring hardships on cold streets to protect the country's liberal democracy and the rule of law have laid the foundation for rebuilding the free conservative camp," and added, "Now, I intend to fulfill the responsibilities of the new role given to me."

Regarding his new role, he stated, "As a former party leader chosen by party members two years ago and as a minority opposition floor leader during the 2021 presidential election who stood at the forefront of bringing about the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, I am well aware of the heavy responsibility to revive our party," emphasizing, "I believe we must absolutely fulfill the desperate wishes of the people who do not want Lee Jae-myung to become president."

Kim continued, "I will quietly fulfill my responsibilities to protect a country where liberal democracy and the rule of law are practiced from the current crisis where power monopoly leads to arbitrariness and dictatorship, and to reorganize the party as the central pillar of the rational free conservative camp to gain public support."

Meanwhile, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong also declared his withdrawal from the presidential race the day before. He said, "Since the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, in which I participated as the head of the presidential campaign policy headquarters and as Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, faced presidential impeachment, I also bear great responsibility," and added, "To fulfill my responsibility, I will not run in the presidential election."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.