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Daegu Mayor Hong declares presidential candidacy, predicts showdown with DP's Lee

Published: 14 Apr. 2025, 17:13 Updated: 22 Apr. 2025, 19:56

Now former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo departs city hall after his resignation ceremony on April 11. City government officials and employees bid farewell to Hong who is running for presidency. [NEWS1]

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo officially declared his candidacy for the June 3 presidential election on Monday, portraying the contest as a clear-cut choice between his leadership and Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung.

At a campaign launch event at 2 p.m. in Yeouido, western Seoul, Hong unveiled an ambitious vision to establish a “Seventh Republic” through constitutional reform, positioning himself as the candidate to transform Korea into a “great advanced nation.”

The event was attended by lawmakers Park Duk-hyum, Yoo Sang-bum and Kim Dai-sik, as well as former lawmaker Rhee In-je and Yu Dong-kyu, former planning director of Seongnam Development Corporation, who previously voiced support for Hong.

Earlier in the day, Hong registered as a candidate in the conservative People Power Party’s (PPP) presidential primary.

“Only the judgment of the people and the sovereign choice of voters can hold corrupt and unlawful politicians truly accountable,” said Hong. “Now that the state of emergency has ended with the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, it is time for Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung to be judged and brought before the court of law.”

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo speaks during a conference at Seoul National University in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on March 19. [NEWS1]

Hong positioned the election as a decisive showdown, saying that “this is not simply about a change of power or continuity of the current administration,” but a choice between him and Lee.

“On one side, we have Lee, a defendant with four criminal convictions facing five trials on corruption charges,” he continued. “On the other, we have myself, a seasoned and proven candidate ready to lead the country.”

Hong argued that a Lee administration would lead to “a nation stained with immorality and ethical decay, saddled with debt that burdens our youth and plagued by unfairness and rule-breaking,” whereas a Hong administration would deliver “a free and prosperous advanced nation.”

Deagu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo on Jan. 31, 2025, in Daegu [NEWS1]

“I opposed both the state of emergency and the impeachment,” Hong said, referring to the martial law declaration of Dec. 3 by former president Yoon Suk Yeol. “But rejecting impeachment does not mean defending martial law. I simply could not stand by a process that ousted a president we ourselves had elected.”

He called for unity within the PPP ahead of the election, saying, “We should no longer be divided between pro- and anti-impeachment camps. We must unite around a strong, experienced leader fully prepared to win.”

Hong pledged to establish a presidential task force to pursue constitutional reform if elected. “We must move beyond the Sixth Republic and usher in the Seventh with bold reforms,” he said.

Former president Yoon Suk Yeol waves to his supporters as he leaves the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, central Seoul on April 11. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Regarding foreign policy, Hong vowed to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump immediately after taking office.

“If Trump takes a traditional diplomatic approach, I will respond diplomatically,” said Hong. “If he takes a business-minded approach, I will also respond in kind to defend Korea’s national interests.”

On security issues, Hong said that North Korea’s nuclear weapons can only be deterred with nuclear arms of our own. “Now that Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities are a reality, we must develop our own nuclear deterrent,” he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he attends UFC 314 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, on April 12. [AFP/YONHAP]

He also pledged to overhaul Korea’s regulations, promising to shift toward a more permissive “negative list” system and to invest at least 50 trillion won ($35.2 billion) in cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, superconductors, semiconductors and bioengineering.

Hong took aim at powerful labor unions, saying that “an advanced nation cannot coexist with militant aristocratic unions that engage in illegal and violent activity,” saying that such actions must be “corrected” and foster “forward-looking labor-management relations.”

He also promised to “tighten inefficiencies” in welfare spending and “actively manage” the national debt to “ease the burden on future generations.”

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

BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]