Yoon takes victory lap in conservative stronghold

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol waves to the crowd at the Andong Central New Market in Andong, kicking off a two-day visit to the North Gyeongsang region Monday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol began a two-day visit to North Gyeongsang Monday and was expected to meet with former President Park Geun-hye in her hometown of Daegu Tuesday.

Yoon's trip to Daegu and North Gyeongsang, a conservative stronghold referred to as the TK region, is his first regional tour since his election victory last month.

It comes with just over 50 days left until June 1 local elections, which will be considered an early litmus test of the Yoon administration.

Yoon has stressed the importance of decentralization and balanced regional development. His visit to the TK region is important in that context.

Yoon is expected to give a "progress report" on the trip, meet merchants and visit industrial sites, according to his transition team.

He will visit Andong, Sangju, Gumi, Pohang and Gyeongju.

Yoon's spokesperson said the TK trip "is fulfillment of a promise made to the people during the election campaign to visit again."

On Monday, nearly 2,000 people showed up at the Andong Central New Market, Yoon's first stop.

He told the crowd, "I will not disappoint you and will devote myself to the development of Korea and Andong."

Over the weekend, the presidential transition team's special committee for balanced regional development visited Daegu. Its members visited the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), local universities, traditional markets and industrial complexes.

Yoon is scheduled to pay a visit to former President Park at her residence in Daegu's Dalseong County at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Park was impeached in December 2016 and removed from office in March 2017 over an influence-peddling scandal involving her confidante Choi Soon-sil. She was convicted of corruption and abuse of power and sentenced to a total of 22 years in prison.

Park received a special pardon from President Moon Jae-in last December due to deteriorating health and was formally released on New Year's Eve, though she remained hospitalized in Seoul. She was released from the hospital late last month and settled in Daegu.

Yoon delivered his congratulations to Park on her discharge from the hospital on March 24 and said he would like to visit her soon, if her health permitted.
Upon her return to Daegu, Park told reporters that she would "add whatever little strength" she has to help "contribute to the development" of Daegu and Korea.

During the Tuesday visit, Yoon could invite Park to his inauguration ceremony on May 10. He has previously said he plans to invite all former presidents.

Yoon, a former prosecutor general, spearheaded the probe into the corruption scandal that directly led to Park's removal and time in jail. The visit could be an opportunity for Yoon to make amends with her.

On the presidential campaign trail in December, Yoon acknowledged it had been his duty to investigate Park, but said," I feel truly sorry politically and emotionally as a human being." Yoon was the candidate for Park's former party, the People Power Party (PPP).

Last Friday, Park endorsed Yoo Yeong-ha, who is running for Daegu mayor in the June 1 election, her first political move since leaving prison.

Yoon, a lawyer, represented her at her impeachment trial and acted as her spokesman during her time in jail.



BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]