Seoul: The People Power Party (PPP) has announced the shortlist of four contenders for its presidential primary, setting the stage for the upcoming election on June 3. The first-round selection includes former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, and lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, as confirmed by the party's election commission.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the shortlist was determined after surveys conducted by five polling agencies from Monday to Tuesday, which gathered responses from a total of 4,000 participants. Initially, the PPP had eight candidates contending for the presidential primary, which also included figures such as PPP lawmaker Na Kyung-won, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, North Gyeongsang Governor Lee Cheol-woo, and former Democratic Party (DP) Representative Yang Hyang-ja.

In the subsequent round, the PPP plans to select two candidates through a process that combines party member votes and public opinion polling equally. The final candidate will be officially declared on May 3. This presidential election comes in the wake of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's removal from office on April 4 following a controversial martial law bid.

A recent Realmeter poll indicates that Rep. Lee Jae-myung, former DP leader, is maintaining a significant lead with 50.2 percent support. In contrast, Kim Moon-soo holds 12.2 percent, Han Dong-hoon 8.5 percent, and Hong Joon-pyo 7.5 percent. Despite the PPP's efforts, the party appears to be challenged by Lee's commanding position in opinion polls.

Amid internal discussions, a proposal to form a new political party to support Yoon has been paused. Rep. Lee Yang-soo of the PPP expressed to SBS radio that pursuing such a plan could adversely affect the party's prospects in the upcoming presidential election.