Anchor: Former President Yoon Suk Yeol has announced that he is leaving the People Power Party. In a message posted on his social media, Yoon said his departure is meant to help the party win the June 3 presidential election and defend liberal democracy.
Our Yun Sohyang has more.

Report: Former President Yoon Suk Yeol has announced his departure from the People Power Party.
In a message posted on his social media on Saturday, Yoon said he will now serve the country from outside the party, reaffirming his commitment to defending freedom and national sovereignty.
He also called on his supporters to rally behind the party’s presidential candidate, Kim Moon-soo.
Yoon explained that his decision to leave was aimed at securing victory in the June 3 presidential election and protecting liberal democracy.
He added that while he may no longer be part of the party, he will continue to act with a strong sense of duty to defend freedom and sovereignty.

Earlier, newly appointed PPP emergency committee chair Kim Yong-tae publicly called for Yoon’s voluntary resignation in his inaugural remarks.

Presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo had previously maintained that the decision was up to Yoon himself.

In response to Yoon’s decision, the People Power Party said it marks a critical turning point that will lead to greater unity and reform within the party, which are essential to winning the upcoming presidential election.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Korea condemned the move, calling it a scripted political stunt designed to stage a fake breakup between a coup leader and a far-right candidate. The party added that no citizen would be fooled by the staged defection.

The Reform Party also criticized Yoon’s resignation, calling it not a genuine withdrawal but a political escape, and another blow to democratic values.

Yun Sohyang, KBS WORLD Radio News.