Jeon Kwanghoon Announces Presidential Run: "I Will Bring Yoon Suk-yeol to the Liberty Unification Party"

Rallies Held Across Downtown Seoul

Jeon Kwanghoon, pastor of Sarang Jeil Church and a supporter of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, announced on April 19 that he would run for president as a candidate for the Liberty Unification Party.

The Korean Patriotic Movement Headquarters (Daegukbon), where Pastor Jeon is active, held the "Gwanghwamun National Rally" at 11 a.m. that day in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. As of 3 p.m., an unofficial police estimate put the crowd at 15,000, with participants chanting slogans such as "Yoon Again."

During the rally, Pastor Jeon declared, "There is no one but Pastor Jeon Kwanghoon to carry out all of this," and added, "That is why I am running for president." He stated that he would run as the Liberty Unification Party's candidate, emphasizing, "The eight preliminary candidates of the People Power Party are telling people not to come near Gwanghwamun. Those eight from the People Power Party will absolutely not be elected." He also proclaimed, "I will bring President Yoon Suk-yeol over to the Liberty Unification Party."

Despite inclement weather, several rallies were held throughout downtown Seoul on the weekend. YouTuber Bellado organized a rally of approximately 1,000 people (unofficial police estimate) near Exit 8 of Gyodae Station in Seocho-gu, close to former President Yoon's residence, at around 2 p.m. Liberty University, a group supporting former President Yoon, gathered near Exit 4 of Sinsa Station at around 3 p.m. and marched toward Gyodae Station.

Candlelight Action, a civic group that has called for impeachment, held the "136th National Candlelight March" rally near Exit 7 of City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, at around 3 p.m. About 400 people gathered, according to an unofficial police estimate, chanting slogans such as "Let’s end the rebellion and achieve justice." The Emergency Action for the End of Rebellion and Social Reform (Emergency Action) also planned to hold a rally in front of the Dongshipjagak Pavilion at Gyeongbokgung at around 5:30 p.m., marching through Anguk-dong Intersection to Sungnyemun.