'Lurking dragons' rise to join presidential race

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'Lurking dragons' rise to join presidential race

Published: 07 Apr. 2025, 14:49 Updated: 08 Apr. 2025, 12:27

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo speaks during a new year's event at Exco in Buk District on Jan. 10. [DAEGU METROPOLITAN CITY]

Conservative candidates — collectively dubbed “lurking dragons” by the media — are gearing up for the upcoming presidential race in the aftermath of the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo is expected to step down from his post this week and officially declare his candidacy for president on April 14 in Yeouido, western Seoul, marking his return to the national political stage.

Hong told senior city officials during a meeting on Monday that major local projects, including the potential airport construction project in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, should be smoothly managed under the acting mayor following his departure. He also hinted at prioritizing regional issues if elected president, saying, “I will do my best to directly address key pending projects when the opportunity arises.”

On his Facebook page a day earlier, Hong said he would begin farewell visits starting Tuesday, deliver remarks at the city council on Thursday and thank city hall employees on Friday, effectively confirming his plan to resign within the week.

Hong's campaign office told the press that he will declare his candidacy at Daeha Building in Yeouido, western Seoul, on April 14 and hold a campaign launch event on the same day.

People Power Party Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo heads into the main chamber of the National Assembly to vote on the impeachment bill against President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday. [YONHAP]

Conservative People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo will officially announce his bid for the upcoming election on Tuesday. Ahn's spokesperson said the event will be held at 11 a.m. in Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul, in front of the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-shin.

Ahn will be the first major PPP figure to formally enter the race following the Constitutional Court’s decision on Friday to remove Yoon from office.

According to his camp, Ahn plans to run under the values of “national unity” and “generational change.” The campaign said the launch event would be solemn, with no chanting or cheering, in recognition of the current political climate.

Rep. Lee Jung-hyun of the Saenuri Party, a predecessor of the conservative People Power Party, walks into the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, western Seoul in April 2018. [NEWS1]

Lee Jung-hyun, former leader of the conservative Saenuri Party — a predecessor of the PPP — also announced his candidacy on Monday, vowing to push for constitutional reform and serve a shortened term if elected.

“I officially declare my candidacy in the 2025 PPP presidential primary,” Lee said in his announcement. He said that his goal is to become a “constitutional reform president,” pledging to reduce his term to three years and pursue amendments to the Constitution.

“All presidents since the '1987 system' have faced hardship, and each administration has been less stable than the last,” he said. “We must begin serious, focused constitutional reform discussions as the race begins.”

The 1987 system refers to the change in the Constitutional Law after the June democratization movement — a mass protest for democracy the same year — against the military dictatorship of late President Chun Doo Hwan (1931-2021).

Lee, a three-term lawmaker and former spokesperson for the former president Park Geun-hye administration, was the first party leader from the Jeolla region in a conservative party.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY BAE JAE-SUNG, JEONG JAE-HONG, KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]