**Opposition to Yushin Leads to Two Expulsions from Seoul National University… Dives into Labor Movement After ‘Jeon Tae-il’s Self-Immolation’**
**Transforms into Conservative with ‘Three-Term Assembly Member’ and ‘Two-Term Governor’ Background… Burdened by ‘Far-Right, Outspoken Image’**
“When a plot twist repeats itself, it turns into a ‘trend,’ and if this trend continues, it becomes a ‘tendency.’ This is why the figure of Kim Moon-soo, Minister of Employment and Labor, who has emerged in recent opinion polls as a ‘reversal figure,’ should be noted. He has subtly climbed to the top of potential ruling party presidential candidates amid the current martial law and impeachment situation.”
“While the emergence of a figure outside the ranks of presidential candidates raises ‘questions’ both inside and outside the ruling and opposition parties, the conservative base sees an increasing number of ‘exclamation points.’ The interpretation within political circles is that supporters of President Yoon Seok-yeol, lost with the unprecedented arrest of the president, have gathered around Minister Kim, who is firmly defending the current government. Whether the ‘Kim Moon-soo Syndrome’ created by the conservative base is a mirage that will quickly disappear or lead to his official running is noteworthy.”
**Three Key Scenes that Captivated the Conservative Base after the December 3 Martial Law**
“Why has the conservative base pulled up Minister Kim Moon-soo at this time? There are various interpretations. Firstly, there is an analysis that the conservative base needed a ‘figure of conviction’ who could stand as a counterpart to ‘Lee Jae-myung’s Democratic Party.’ In this regard, Minister Kim is currently perceived as the ‘legitimate heir of conservatism.’ Moreover, due to his stance shown in the recent martial law and impeachment situation, there is a perspective that he has been heroized among the hardline conservative circles as someone who can protect conservatism while defending President Yoon simultaneously.”
“Three key scenes are highlighted as reasons for the conservative base to bring out the ‘Kim Moon-soo card’: ① his noncompliance with Rep. Seo Young-kyo of the Democratic Party’s request for a ‘standing apology’ (indicating a refusal to bow to the opposition), ② strong opposition to Acting President Choi Sang-mok’s decision to appoint ‘two constitutional judges’ (expressing resentment against President Yoon’s impeachment), and ③ avoidance of short-term political remarks as a minister (reasons for leading in support over Mayor Hong Jun-pyo and Mayor Oh Se-hoon).”
“According to Sisa Journal’s investigation, Minister Kim’s refusal to apologize for the martial law situation instilled confidence in the hardline conservative base. On December 11 of last year, at a National Assembly emergency inquiry meeting related to the December 3 martial law incident, Rep. Seo Young-kyo demanded a standing apology, saying, ‘Reflect on the failure to prevent martial law and apologize to the people.’ However, Minister Kim remained seated despite the criticisms from opposition lawmakers saying ‘Stand up!’ Other government officials, including Prime Minister Han Deok-soo, stood and bowed their heads in apology, but Minister Kim did not.”
“The second key scene was his sharp critique toward Acting President Choi Sang-mok. Minister Kim strongly reproached Acting President Choi on December 31 of last year for appointing two constitutional judges to proceed with the impeachment trial of President Yoon without consulting government officials, asking, ‘Did you consult with the ruling and opposition parties beforehand for such a significant matter?’ This defiance is interpreted as an indirect expression of his stance on the impeachment during the prior inquiry.”
“Lastly, it is his reticent stance in supporting President Yoon. Unlike other conservative figures whose frequency of actions and statements increased as the presidential race approached, Minister Kim rose to the top of the ruling party’s next presidential candidates without a specific public position. Instead, he expressed regret over the legal attacks aimed at President Yoon, stimulating the interest of the strong conservative support base by being a ‘reliable conservative candidate.’ On January 6, when meeting with reporters regarding an attempted execution of President Yoon’s arrest warrant, Minister Kim said, ‘It’s too harsh and goes too far. Public sentiment is overturning,’ and added, ‘He’s the sitting president, so basic courtesy should be maintained, isn’t it going too far?’ which is the message he has publicly conveyed so far.”
“These pivotal scenes collectively produce synergistic effects, leading to a ‘re-evaluation of Kim Moon-soo.’ The catalyst for this has been YouTube. Influential conservative YouTubers have bolstered Minister Kim as a ‘legitimate conservative heir’ while concurrently proposing the argument ‘Lee Jae-myung is absolutely unacceptable,’ further rallying staunch supporters.”
“Thus, Minister Kim has fashioned his wave of public momentum. In a simulation survey conducted by Sisa Journal and entrusted to the research firm Jowon C&I between January 18 and 19 with 1,006 adults aged 18 and older nationwide, Minister Kim garnered 46.4%, showing an edge within the margin of error over Lee, who received 41.8%. This is the first instance of a figure from the conservative camp surpassing the steadfastly ‘number one opposition’ figure, Lee, in terms of support since the martial law situation. (Refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Committee’s website for detailed information.)”
“How should this result be interpreted? There are indeed various observations. One analysis is of a ‘temporary bubble effect.’ The fervent conservative base, mobilized by anger towards ‘presidential arrest condemnation’ and ‘opposing Lee Jae-myung’s rule,’ responded more fiercely in recent opinion polls, including this one, compared to the progressive base, resulting in an over-representation of conservative respondents.”
“However, the notion that ‘Kim Moon-soo’s phenomenon’ might not be transient is strengthened by the emergence of anti-‘President Lee Jae-myung’ sentiments extending into the centrist demographics. Jang Seong-cheol, director of the Public Opinion Center, noted, ‘While the conservative support base is currently over-enthusiastic, leading to an active response in opinion polls, it’s especially critical to observe that Lee Jae-myung is failing to capture centrist public sentiment. This trend cannot be overlooked.’ He continued, ‘The ‘Anyone but Lee Jae-myung’ campaign, which has proliferated among conservatives, is now also resonating with centrists. If fears about what might happen if ‘Lee Jae-myung becomes president’ are not alleviated, it would be premature to trivialize it as a fleeting result.'”
**Kim Moon-soo’s Effect Unites Conservatives, Yet Expansion Capacity Questioned**
“While appealing to strong support groups, there are skeptical reactions questioning the potential for expansion to the centrist demographic. Past incidents, such as when then-Governor Kim demanded ‘I am the Governor’ during a 119 call and his controversial statement targeting former President Moon Jae-in during his tenure as the Chairman of the Economic and Social Labor Council, labeling those who respect Shin Young-bok as ‘followers of Kim Il-sung,’ are cited as aspects that may hinder him due to his ‘outspoken’ reputation.”
“Who, then, is the political figure Kim Moon-soo, being rediscovered and elevated by conservatives now? Whether it’s ‘a midsummer night’s dream’ or a ‘dragon dream,’ his emergence in the early presidential race stirs up the dust-ridden pages once again. Before becoming known as ‘Conservative’s Kim Moon-soo,’ he was considered a ‘legend in activism,’ dedicating over 20 years to the labor movement.”
“Kim, born in 1951 in Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, as the sixth of four sons and three daughters, faced financial hardship due to his father’s poor guarantee decisions. With a fervor for activism during his school days, he entered Seoul National University’s Business Administration department in the 1970s and fought against the Yushin regime as part of the ‘Society for Underdeveloped Nations,’ a student movement circle, leading to two expulsions.”
“His awareness of the labor movement was sparked after learning of the self-immolation of Jeon Tae-il, a worker at a textile factory. Disguising himself, he joined Hanil Doruko and served as the union chairman. Under Chun Doo-hwan’s dictatorial regime, he assumed the role of secretary in the Jeon Tae-il Memorial project and was arrested in 1986 for leading the May 3 Incheon Democratic Protests, serving two years in prison. Kim met his wife, Seol Nan-young, through labor activism. When Kim was a wanted figure by the Samcheong Education Center, Seol provided him a refuge, significantly deepening their relationship.”
“In 1990, during the Roh Tae-woo administration, Kim entered politics. He established the People’s Party along with labor activists like Lee Woo-jae, Kim Nak-jung, Jang Ki-pyo, and Lee Jae-oh, but failed to elect any members in the 14th general election. A pivotal moment leading to his current conservative stance occurred when he witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Encouraged by Kim Young-sam, then-leader of the Democratic Liberal Party, he joined the party (the predecessor of the People Power Party) in 1994 and served as a three-term member of the National Assembly (15th, 16th, and 17th). He was elected governor of Gyeonggi Province in the 2006 local elections and re-elected. In the 2012 presidential election, he challenged for the presidency for the first time, coming second to Park Geun-hye in the primary.”
**”Ministerial Rank 16th… It’s Disheartening for Someone Like Me to Be Discussed as a Presidential Candidate”**
“His political downfall arose from the ‘119 reprimand controversy’ during his governorship. Concluding his second term, he ran in the Daegu Suseong-gap constituency in the 2016 20th general election, a conservative stronghold, but lost to the Democratic Party’s Kim Boo-gyeom. His 2018 bid for Seoul mayor was unsuccessful, leading him to join far-right conservative parties like the Liberty Unification Party and the Liberty Republican Party.”
“His political resurgence came with the advent of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration. President Yoon appointed him to chair the Economic and Social Labor Committee in 2022, saying, ‘Former Governor Kim Moon-soo understands the labor field well’ and made the personnel decision based solely on his field expertise. Subsequently, Kim served as the Minister of Employment and Labor, gaining recognition from President Yoon as both a ‘politician’ and ‘bureaucrat.'”
“Having transitioned from the ‘far-left’ to the ‘far-right’ and now rising as a ‘presidential contender,’ can he traverse a second turning point? Currently, Minister Kim has publicly drawn a line on the possibility of running for the presidency. Regarding his rising popularity, he stated, ‘Being cited when I’m just a Labor Minister and only ranked 16th, not in a political position, shows society’s frustration and thirst. Ideally, someone like me should just do well in the Employment and Labor Ministry, but it’s disheartening to be considered a presidential candidate.'”
“Yet, some within the ruling party have speculated that Minister Kim could rise as a ‘kingmaker.’ They consider positioning him ‘behind the scenes’ rather than ‘front and center’ in the presidential race due to his limited appeal to centrists. An associate close to Yoon commented to Sisa Journal, ‘Minister Kim himself has little determination to run for president and is aware that the current survey results aren’t ‘guaranteed support’ due to perceived limits in appealing to the middle ground,’ adding that he’s contemplating the role of ‘kingmaker’ for the next conservative candidate. Another perspective exists. A close aide who worked with Minister Kim mentioned to Sisa Journal, ‘He’s a politician to his core. Politicians are tasked with responding to the call of the public. Minister Kim isn’t one to reject such a duty,’ leaving open the possibility.”