Han Dong-hoon Announces Candidacy for the 6·3 Presidential Election: "I Will Achieve Political, Generational, and Era Change"

On the 10th, former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon officially declared his candidacy for the 21st presidential election in front of the fountain at the National Assembly.

Han emphasized, "I will achieve political change, generational change, and era change" as he formalized his challenge for the presidency.

During the announcement ceremony, Han referenced singer Seo Taiji and stated, "I will become the cultural president that changes the era. Era change happens explosively at a certain moment." He stressed the importance of such transformation.

He particularly directed his remarks at Lee Jae-myung, the former leader of the Democratic Party, saying, "We must prevent a dangerous person from becoming president and a monstrous regime from emerging, which would ruin the country."

Han warned, "We must protect our future from dangerous politicians who could betray the country's destiny for their own power and from the extreme populists who blindly follow them," declaring, "I, Han Dong-hoon, who is not afraid and will head to the National Assembly first and stand with the people to prevent that day of emergency martial law, must confront this situation."

Economic Growth and Expanding the Middle Class Vision

Han pledged, "I will create a country where the people come first, a country of a growing middle class, and a country where practicality outweighs ideology," proposing a vision for a "country with a per capita income of $40,000 and a 70% middle class."

He remarked, "Now is the era of economic warfare where the state must directly intervene," announcing plans to establish a 'war room' to prepare for this economic struggle.

Furthermore, he committed to drafting and implementing a 'two-year future growth plan' rather than the previous five-year periods.

To address regional disparities, he suggested building five mega-cities based on key urban centers in economics, industry, and culture.

In terms of welfare policy, he proposed the establishment of a 'Lifetime Welfare Account' where individuals can directly manage their welfare benefits, and for international relations, he suggested the creation of a provisional 'Economic NATO (New Alliance for Trade and Opportunity)' to collectively respond to economic coercion at the national level.

Proposals for Constitutional Reform and Political Reform

Regarding the recent discussions surrounding constitutional reform in the political realm, Han stated, "I promise a decentralized presidential system with four-year terms and a bicameral legislature," adding that while not increasing the total number of lawmakers, he would eliminate proportional representation and introduce a Senate.

He particularly proposed, "To align the start and end of the presidential and congressional terms, I propose to conduct the next presidential and general elections simultaneously," asserting that "the president in this term should not run in the election three years from now."

Han expressed deep empathy for those who have suffered from martial law and impeachment, saying, "I will share that pain until the end and carry it for as long as possible."

However, he noted, "This is a process toward the Republic of Korea's aim of liberal democracy," emphasizing, "When we uphold the core conservative values of liberalism and the rule of law and fulfill our responsibilities, we can achieve victory again."

Following Han's candidacy announcement, moments were captured of him moving together with Kwon Young-se, the chairman of the People Power Party's emergency countermeasure committee, in the National Assembly. This declaration is expected to complicate the dynamics ahead of the 6·3 presidential election.

Image Sources: Han Dong-hoon, former leader of the People Power Party, greets attendees after declaring his candidacy for the 21st presidential election in front of the National Assembly's fountain in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of April 10, 2025. / News1, Han Dong-hoon gestures with his finger while announcing his vision for a 70% middle-class society during his candidacy declaration for the 21st presidential election on April 10, 2025, in front of the National Assembly's fountain in Yeouido, Seoul. / News1, News1.