• Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the People Power Party (PPP) ahead of snap elections.
• Yoon urges support for Kim Moon-soo, PPP's candidate, as polls show a significant lead for the opposition.
• The upcoming June 3 election is seen as critical for preserving democracy in South Korea.
• Recent polls show Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung at 51%, while Kim receives 29%.

South Korea's ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol announced on Saturday that he is leaving the conservative People Power Party (PPP). This decision comes as the party prepares for snap elections scheduled for June 3, which were triggered by Yoon's impeachment due to a controversial martial law declaration. Yoon, in a Facebook post, urged support for the PPP's presidential candidate, Kim Moon-soo, stating, "I am leaving the People Power Party to fulfill my responsibility to protect the free Republic of Korea" according to Channel News Asia and India Times.

The PPP has been under significant pressure to distance itself from Yoon as polls indicate a widening gap with the opposition Democratic Party, led by Lee Jae-myung. Recent surveys show Lee leading with 51% support, while Kim trails at 29%. Yoon's controversial declaration of martial law, aimed at dealing with legislative blockages, has fueled political divisions in the country. Yoon stated that the snap election represents a crucial opportunity to "prevent totalitarian dictatorship and protect liberal democracy and the rule of law," according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

Yoon's departure is seen as an attempt to rally support from moderate voters disillusioned by his previous actions. Kim Moon-soo, Yoon's former labor minister, has recently apologized for the fallout from the martial law attempt, marking the first explicit recognition of the suffering caused by the crisis. Yoon's calls for unity within the PPP come amidst legal challenges he faces, including charges of insurrection, according to India Times and South China Morning Post.