Former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday announced his departure from the People Power Party, urging the public to support the party's presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo.
In a post on his Facebook account, Yoon said, "I am leaving the People Power Party today," adding, "Although I am leaving the party, I will continue to stand at the forefront to defend freedom and national sovereignty."
He also called on voters to unite behind Kim, emphasizing the importance of participating in the upcoming election.
"Please give your support to Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party. Make sure to cast your vote. Every single vote is a path toward safeguarding this country's freedom, sovereignty and prosperity," he said.
Yoon was removed from office in April over his botched martial law attempt in December and is facing a criminal trial.
Calls have been growing within the conservative PPP for the ousted president to sever his ties with the party, with many party members believing that his departure is necessary to help boost Kim's stagnant poll numbers against Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung.
"I believe the (former) president will make a rational decision," Rep. Kim Yong-tae, interim party leader, said during a press conference on Thursday. "As the interim leader, I would respectfully recommend the president leave the party."
PPP candidate Kim has largely retained a neutral position about Yoon's potential exit from the party, saying it was up to Yoon to decide whether to leave the PPP, while more centrist members of the party had called for the leadership to voluntarily expunge Yoon's party affiliation.
Rival parties slammed Yoon's PPP departure, claiming that his statement lacks a sense of apology to the public for his martial law fiasco.
DP spokesperson Rep. Hwang Jung-a said during a briefing, "Yoon Suk Yeol's departure statement is filled with delusion and self-obsession, with no trace of reflection or apology."
"The PPP has forever branded itself as a pathetic remnant of insurrectionists, having failed to expel the leader of insurrection with its own hands."
Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate of the minor New Reform Party, also criticized Yoon.
"It is repugnant that the very person who caused chaos consumed by delusions of election fraud is speaking of freedom, rule of law, sovereignty, happiness and security." Lee wrote on his Facebook account. (Yonhap)
