"Serving the People After Retirement" Yoon Seok-yeol, Possibility of Running for President? [Han Seung-gon's Political Notebook]

The So-Called 'Yoon Seok-yeol Criticism' Effect... Rising Preference for Next Presidential Candidates
Yoon: "How to Serve the People" Causes Stir in Political Circles
Presidential Run or Political Entry, the Hottest Issue

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who was unable to go to work due to the decision to exclude him from duty by Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, is arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu on the afternoon of the 1st.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] The political world is abuzz over whether Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who shows high approval ratings among opposition presidential candidates, will run for president. He currently shows similar support rates in preference polls against ruling party presidential candidates such as Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Jae-myung, governor of Gyeonggi Province. As a result, there is a continuous view in Yeouido's political circles that we might expect Yoon Seok-yeol not just as the Prosecutor General but as a politician.

Recent opinion polls reinforce this perspective. On the 17th of last month, Asia Economy commissioned Win-G Korea Consulting to conduct a survey from the 15th to 16th among 1,000 voters aged 18 and over nationwide (100% mobile phone virtual numbers, automated response). In a hypothetical match-up between Lee Nak-yeon and Prosecutor General Yoon, Lee recorded 42.3% and Yoon 42.5%, effectively a neck-and-neck race within the margin of error.

In a match-up against Governor Lee Jae-myung, Lee led slightly with 42.6% to Yoon's 41.9%. The non-politician Prosecutor General Yoon shows similar support rates within the margin of error against both Lee Nak-yeon and Lee Jae-myung.

Given this situation, the political world is closely watching Yoon's moves. On October 23rd, during the National Assembly inspection of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Yoon said regarding his post-retirement plans, "I will slowly consider how to serve our society and the people after retirement." This was interpreted as hinting at a possible entry into politics after retirement.

When People Power Party lawmaker Kim Do-eup asked, "Does that service include politics?" Yoon replied, "That is difficult to say." He did not clearly rule out entering politics.

Following the court's decision to accept the suspension of the enforcement of the job exclusion order against Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, he returned to his position on the 1st. On the 2nd, wreaths supporting Prosecutor General Yoon were placed in front of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Experts believe that the rise in Yoon's preference as a presidential candidate is related to the so-called 'Yoon Seok-yeol bashing.' It is interpreted that supporters opposing the ruling party's prosecution reform back Yoon. He is benefiting from a 'anti-Moon Jae-in sentiment' and a reflective effect.

In this context, a survey conducted by Hangil Research on behalf of Cookie News from the 7th to 9th of last month among 1,022 voters aged 18 and over nationwide showed that support for Yoon was 24.7%, surpassing ruling party candidates Lee Nak-yeon (22.2%) and Lee Jae-myung (18.4%) for the first time (margin of error ±3.1 percentage points at 95% confidence level). Among opposition supporters, Yoon is seen not as a target of reform but as a kind of 'People's Prosecutor.'

Although the situation is different, a case of someone entering politics after becoming imprinted on the public is former Minister of National Defense Kim Jang-soo. During the October 2007 inter-Korean summit under the Roh Moo-hyun administration, Kim visited Pyongyang and, unlike other ministers, shook hands with Chairman Kim Jong-il with a 'rigid posture' without bowing or nodding, earning the nickname 'Stiff Jang-soo.' He later entered the National Assembly in 2008 as a proportional representative (number 6) for the Grand National Party (now People Power Party).

The Taegeukgi and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office flags are fluttering in the wind at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, Yoon has not yet made any statements about a specific party or mentioned any faction himself, so it is impossible to predict that he will enter the National Assembly in any form such as proportional representation. Running for president is even less certain. The People Power Party has immediately urged Yoon to declare that he will not engage in politics.

On the 2nd, Party Floor Leader Joo appeared on KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs' and mentioned a solution to the 'Chu Mi-ae?Yoon Seok-yeol conflict,' stating this. He added, "Yoon must clearly declare not just that he 'won't' but that he 'will not' engage in politics," saying, "That is the way for the rule of law in the Republic of Korea to survive and for the neutrality and independence of the prosecution to be guaranteed."

Regarding Yoon's high support in next presidential candidate polls, he criticized, "Including the incumbent Prosecutor General, who should be neutral, among presidential candidates is itself wrong," and said, "It is normal to exclude him from the survey."

When asked whether the People Power Party has no intention of recruiting Yoon after his term ends, Floor Leader Joo avoided a direct answer, saying, "If you talk about tomorrow, ghosts will laugh." This is interpreted as leaving a minimal possibility that the People Power Party might recruit Yoon, who shows high support as an opposition presidential candidate, as 'Politician Yoon Seok-yeol.'

Experts predict that Yoon's entry into politics is unlikely at least for now. Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon analyzed, "There are many hurdles to overcome when thinking of Politician Yoon Seok-yeol. The immediate hurdle is the reality of politics. He has no faction and no political experience."

He added, "(With the presidential election approaching) it does not seem possible to resolve this situation in a short time. For this reason, it seems he will focus on current issues such as prosecution reform for now."