Former Representative Sohn Hak-kyu Sparks 'Lee Jae-myung Support' Controversy During Kim Moon-soo Campaign Rally
Former Bareunmirae Party Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu declared his support for People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo on the 22nd and made headlines for mistakenly stating, "I support candidate Lee Jae-myung" during his first campaign appearance.
On the morning of the 22nd, at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Sohn stated, "There is no one but Kim Moon-soo to save this country," and declared his support for Kim, saying, "We cannot entrust the country to Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate."
Later, at a campaign rally held in Cheolsan Rodeo Street, Gwangmyeong City, former Chairman Sohn campaigned alongside candidate Kim Moon-soo.
Upon taking the stage, Sohn confidently exclaimed, "I may not have strength, but I have to go out and help Lee Jae-myung, I have to save this country, I have to save democracy in this country, and that’s why I declared my support for Lee Jae-myung this morning."
As he reiterated, "I declared my support for Lee Jae-myung," he seemed to realize his slip of the tongue when supporters from below the stage shouted, "Kim Moon-soo," and paused for a moment. Shortly after, he corrected himself with an awkward smile, saying, "Ah, I declared my support for Kim Moon-soo."
He then continued his speech, emphasizing the mistake by saying, "I must really be getting old. I look young, right?"
Slip of the Tongue Revives 'Migratory Politician' Criticism
Although it was a simple slip of the tongue, netizens recalled the former representative's past political history, where he was criticized as a 'migratory politician' due to his confusion over the candidates.
Since entering politics, Sohn has repeatedly reversed his decisions to retire from the political scene and has changed party affiliations several times.
In 1993, Sohn was chosen by former President Kim Young-sam and began his career as a member of the National Assembly with the Democratic Liberal Party, eventually serving as the Minister of Health and Welfare and the Governor of Gyeonggi Province with the Grand National Party. However, as his presidential ambitions faltered, he left the Grand National Party in 2007 to participate in the primary of the United Democratic Party.
Subsequently, he continued his political activities with parties aligned with the Democratic Party until he declared his retirement from politics after a defeat in a by-election in July 2014, during which he spent two years in seclusion before returning to the political arena.
In 2016, he left the Democratic Party and joined Ahn Cheol-soo's People's Party, and later became the leader of the Bareunmirae Party that was formed from the merger of the People’s Party and the Bareun Party. After splitting from the Ahn Cheol-soo and Yoo Seung-min factions due to internal party conflicts, he joined forces with other small parties both inside and outside the National Assembly to establish the Millennial Party. However, he faced a crushing defeat in the 2020 21st General Election, and in 2021 he announced his candidacy in the 20th presidential election but withdrew when he received little attention.
Recently, he stated, "To respond to the crisis the country is facing, Han Duck-soo is more competitive than any candidate being discussed now," showing his support for Han.
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Image source: Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, raises his hand to greet citizens alongside former Bareunmirae Party Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu during a campaign rally held in Cheolsan Rodeo Street, Gwangmyeong City, in the afternoon of the 22nd. 2025.5.22/News1, Channel A News, Sohn Hak-kyu met with then-independent presidential candidate Han Duck-soo for a dinner meeting on the 5th. / News1
