Ankara: South Korea's ruling party has made a surprising change in its presidential candidate, opting for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, as reported by local media. This decision came after discussions between Han and the People Power Party (PPP), which had initially nominated Kim Moon-soo for the upcoming elections scheduled for next month.

According to Anadolu Agency, the PPP has called an emergency meeting to initiate the process of canceling Kim Moon-soo's candidacy. The party is anticipated to make a formal announcement regarding this decision on Sunday. Kim Moon-soo, expressing his dissatisfaction with the development, labeled it a "midnight political coup" and has reportedly filed an urgent injunction with a Seoul court to challenge the PPP leadership's decision.

Kim had previously cautioned that he would pursue legal and political actions against the decision to replace him. He described the move as an "anti-democratic act," unprecedented in South Korea's constitutional history and globally. Kim has vowed to hold those accountable for this situation, both legally and politically.

The backdrop to this political upheaval is the snap presidential election set for June 3, following the removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol from office by the Constitutional Court. According to a recent JoongAng Ilbo poll, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung is leading with 47% support, followed by Han Duck-soo with 23%, Kim Moon-soo with 13%, and Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok with 4%.