section_path: 2025 presidential election
section_name: 2025 presidential election
paragraph_text: 2025 presidential election
  
  Kim announced his candidacy for the 2025 South Korean presidential election on April 9, five days after the Yoon's impeachment was upheld on April 4, saying, "I am the right candidate for Lee Jae-myung 's opponent." On May 3, Kim was confirmed as the PPP's official candidate for President after winning the final round of primaries. He garnered 56.5 percent of the vote, beating out former Party Leader Han Dong-hoon. Kim stated in his victory speech: "I'll form a strong alliance with anyone to prevent a rule by Lee Jae-myung and his Democratic Party forces. I'll push for that in a procedure and method that our people and party members accept, and I'll ultimately win."
  
  On May 6, Kim suspended his campaign activities and accused his People Power Party of failing to support him. He then engaged in talks with independent candidate Han Duck-soo on fielding a common conservative candidate for the election on May 7, which were inconclusive. Kim has claimed that the PPP and its chair, Kwon Young-se, has moved unilaterally to unify candidacies without consulting him. 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 hinted at countermeasures, stating that "party democracy is dead" and 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.
  
  During the campaign, Kim issued a formal apology for Yoon's martial law declaration, saying that it was an inappropriate decision that triggered nationwide turmoil and that he would have advised Yoon against it had he known of the plan earlier. He also pledged to relocate the National Assembly, reduce the number of MPs by 10%, and establish a second presidential office in Sejong City. On 17 May 2025, Kim received the endorsement of Yoon Suk Yeol. He lost the election to Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung.