[EXPLAINER] Why is the ruling conservative party going on a hunger strike?

The conservative People Power Party (PPP) is in strife over picking their candidate for the snap presidential election in June, with some members going as far as staging a hunger strike. The PPP elected labor activist-turned-conservative Kim Moon-soo as their candidate already on Saturday in a second preliminary round, but the party has been explicit in its intent to have another contender run in the presidential race. The other contender is none other than Han Duck-soo, who served as prime minister in the administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. After Yoon was ousted following his Dec. 3 martial law declaration, Han served as acting president until he resigned last week to run in the presidential election. The ruling party's task is to find a contender who has a chance of beating the liberal Democratic Party of Korea's candidate Lee Jae-myung, who has led the polls by a wide margin. Lee is leading, boosted somewhat by the previous president's disastrous martial law decision, which has prompted even conservatives to feel inclined to vote for a figure of the opposition party. ThWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times