Handonghun Declares Presidential Candidacy... "Constitutional Court Will Virtually Impeach Lee Jaemyung, Winning Through Election"

Presidential Bid Declared at National Assembly Fountain Plaza
Han: "We Must Prevent a Monster Regime from Destroying the Country"
Pledges: $40,000 National Income, 70% Middle Class Era
Calls for Constitutional Amendments: Four-Year Single-Term Presidency, Bicameral Legislature

Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon declared his candidacy for the early presidential election on June 3, targeting former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung by saying, "We will defeat Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party not by the court's ruling but by the people's election."

Han held a declaration ceremony at the National Assembly Fountain Plaza that afternoon and said, "If you look at the Constitutional Court's decision, there was effectively one more person who was impeached. That is none other than Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party."

Earlier, on the 4th, the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of former President Yoon Seok-youl but pointed out that "the National Assembly should have respected the minority opinion and made efforts to reach a conclusion through dialogue and compromise based on tolerance and restraint in its relationship with the government."

Han expressed that Lee, who still faces five charges including election law violations pending Supreme Court review, should not become president based on the Constitutional Court's criticism of the opposition party.

Han raised his voice, saying, "We must protect our future from dangerous politicians who would betray the fate of the country for their own power and the extreme populists who blindly follow them," adding, "We must prevent a dangerous person from becoming president and a monster regime from destroying the country."

He also emphasized that he is the candidate who can stand against Lee and the Democratic Party, who are expected to use their offensive strategy of labeling the People Power Party as a pro-insurrection party even during the presidential election phase.

Han said, "Their strategy is obvious. They will attack us by weaponizing the state of emergency, asking 'What did you do then?'" He raised his voice, "I am the one who can stand against them?the person who headed to the National Assembly first, who vowed to stop it with the people first, unlike Lee Jae-myung who was scared and hid in the forest."

Han also appealed for support from President Yoon's supporters. He said, "I deeply empathize with those who suffered from the martial law and impeachment. I will share that pain until the end and carry it more and longer," emphasizing, "However, that is just a process toward South Korea’s goal of liberal democracy. When we protect the core conservative values of liberalism and the rule of law and fulfill our responsibilities, we can win again."

Handonghun, former leader of the People Power Party, is declaring his presidential candidacy in front of the National Assembly fountain on the 10th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

He also unveiled a pledge to expand the national income to $40,000 and increase the middle class to 70%. Han said, "I will create a country where the people come first, a country of a growing middle class, and a country where pragmatism beats ideology," adding, "Now is the era of economic warfare where the state must intervene directly. With the determination to engage in economic warfare, I will establish a 'war room.' I will draft and implement a 'two-year future growth plan' instead of the past five-year plans."

Regarding the concentration in the metropolitan area and regional disparities, he stated, "I will build five mega-polises based on key cities that are centers of economy, industry, and culture."

As a measure against high inflation, he promised to stabilize energy prices and reduce earned income tax. Han explained, "I will remove excessive PC (precautionary) policies in the energy sector to stabilize energy prices and prices overall," adding, "I will implement a safe and peaceful nuclear power policy that fits our circumstances, controls inflation, and enhances national competitiveness."

He continued, "Politicians talk about cutting corporate taxes for companies, but they have never considered lowering earned income tax for hardworking citizens," adding, "I will lower earned income tax to increase the real income of the middle class and ordinary people."

He also pledged to introduce a 'Lifetime Welfare Account' that allows individuals to directly manage integrated welfare benefits and to establish a provisional 'Economic NATO (New Alliance for Trade and Opportunity)' to jointly respond to economic coercion at the national level.

The Lifetime Welfare Account aims to prevent citizens from missing out on benefits due to the fragmented welfare systems of national and local governments and to enable them to select and manage the welfare they want to receive in an integrated manner. NATO aims to form a bloc of countries with aligned interests to jointly respond to damages caused by specific countries and strengthen economic cooperation.

Han reiterated his constitutional amendment proposal, which includes a four-year single-term presidency, abolition of proportional representation for National Assembly members, and the establishment of a bicameral legislature. He also proposed, "To align the start and end of the presidential and National Assembly members’ terms, I suggest holding the next presidential and general elections simultaneously," adding, "Furthermore, the current president should not run in the presidential election held three years later."

He urged all presidential candidates to show responsibility and sacrifice regarding constitutional amendments to change the outdated 1987 system and usher in a new era. Han promised, "I will not be the protagonist of the new era but the last gatekeeper who closes the door of the old era."

Handonghun, former leader of the People Power Party, is declaring his candidacy for the presidential election in front of the National Assembly fountain on April 10, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin