S Korean conservatives look to rebuild

Infighting over martial law crisis, nomination turmoil hit People Power Party. By Ju-min Park

- By Ju-min Park

South Korea's right is looking to remake itself after a massive defeat in this week's snap presidential election that left it with little power to challenge the ruling Democratic Party.

New leader Lee Jae-myung and his party now control parliament and the presidency with Tuesday's polls exposing the smouldering resentment in South Korea over former president Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law declaration in December.

The attempt at military rule led to Mr Yoon's removal from office and the eventual defeat of the conservative People Power Party, which was unable to overcome divisions within the right and unify around a single candidate.

The defeat has left conservative leaders pointing fingers and trading blame as the party searches for a new direction.

On Thursday the PPP's floor leader, lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, stepped down and called for the party to wipe the slate clean and rebuild the conservative movement.

"This defeat in the presidential election is not simply a judgment on martial law and the impeachment of the president," he said. "It is a painful reprimand to the divisions of the ruling People Power Party."

The party's presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo was unable to convince Lee Jun-seok, the nominee from the minor conservative Reform Party, to drop out, likely splitting at least some of the vote.