section_path: Campaign developments
section_name: Campaign developments
paragraph_text: Campaign developments
  
  Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung faced legal troubles that could have barred him from being elected president. Under the Public Official Election Act, individuals fined more than 1 million won are disqualified from holding public office for five years, while those sentenced to imprisonment are disqualified for ten years. On 23 March, the Seoul High Court reversed a lower-court decision that had sentenced Lee to one year in prison with a two-year probation, restoring his eligibility. However, on 2 May, his eligibility was again called into question when the Supreme Court fast-tracked a typically months-long deliberation process, issuing a swift 10–2 decision that overturned his acquittal and remanded the case to the Seoul High Court for retrial. The retrial was initially set for 15 May but later postponed to 18 June, after Election Day.
  
  The two leading conservative candidates Han Duck-soo and Kim Moon-soo were expected to consolidate their campaigns, with one stepping down to support the other. Han said he would not file his candidacy until a final agreement is reached with Kim on a "unified" candidate, while Kim claimed that the PPP and its chair Kwon Young-se had unilaterally moved to "unify" candidates without consulting him. Kim Jae-won, Chief of Staff for Kim Moon-soo, also stated that the party would likely move to strip Kim's nomination if he did not agree to "unify" with Han. After a Kim – Han meeting on 7 May failed to produce an agreement, PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong began a hunger strike to push a common candidacy.
  
  On 8 May, Kim and Han held a televised public meeting in front of the National Assembly Proceeding Hall. They failed to reach an agreement, again. Afterward, they said a decision should be made the following day. Kim proposed a one-week campaign and survey to pick which candidate would lead a potential ticket. Kweon criticized Kim, calling him "pathetic" for wanting to remain in the race. Kim accused the PPP of trying to push him out after he was chosen as the official nominee less than a week earlier, questioning the purpose of the process. On 9 May, the Seoul Southern District Court dismissed Kim's request for an injunction, seeking to compel the PPP to recognize him as the nominee. That same day at a press conference, Kim rebuffed the idea of candidate unification, claiming he would have a better chance of winning the election if the PPP leadership did not "sabotage" him. In response, Kwon called Kim's stance disappointing and said, “A true leader must know how to let go.” Kim abruptly left in the middle of the press conference.
  
  The PPP confirmed early on 10 May that they would outright cancel the nomination of Kim and instead nominate Han at an emergency convention the same day. Kim vowed countermeasures, criticized the breakdown of intra-party democracy, and announced that he would seek legal action against the party. Later that day, members of the PPP rejected a resolution designating Han as the party's candidate following an all-party vote, resulting in Kim's nomination being reinstated. Han issued an apology over the dispute in the PPP. On 11 May, Han officially ended his campaign, and pledged to support Kim's candidacy. He rejected an offer by Kim to serve as his campaign chair. On 17 May, Yoon Suk Yeol left the PPP and endorsed Kim Moon-soo.
  
  On 29 May 2025, South Korean representatives of businesses at the former Kaesong Industrial Region held a press conference at the National Assembly, claiming that American investor Jim Rogers endorsed Lee Jae-myung by reading what was purportedly a letter from Rogers. However, Rogers has since constantly denied supporting the candidate.