Seoul [South Korea], May 17 : Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced his departure from the People Power Party (PPP) on Saturday and urged voters to support the party's presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, according to a report from the Yonhap news agency.
In a Facebook post, Yoon wrote, "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."
"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's decision follows growing calls within the conservative PPP for him to sever ties with the party. Many members believed his departure was necessary to boost Kim's stagnant poll numbers against Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Yoon was removed from office in April over his botched martial law attempt in December and is facing a criminal trial.
"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 that the president leave the party."
PPP candidate Kim Moon-soo has expressed respect for former President Yoon Suk Yeol's decision to leave the party.
Prior to Yoon's announcement, Kim had maintained a neutral stance on the matter, leaving it up to Yoon to decide whether to stay or leave, Yonhap in its report added.
However, more centrist members of the party had called for the leadership to voluntarily expunge Yoon's party affiliation.
After Yoon's departure, Kim stated, "We will humbly accept his decision and work to make the party more united and innovative, so that the party, the campaign and the presidency can align with the will of the people."
He said to reporters after a campaign meeting at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Centre in Gwangju, some 270 kilometres south of Seoul.
When asked whether there had been any prior coordination with Yoon on his withdrawal, candidate Kim replied, "None at all."
Rival parties slammed Yoon's PPP departure, claiming that his statement lacks a sense of apology to the public for his martial law fiasco.