Yoon Seok-yeol declares his joining of 2021 presidential race

It has been reported that former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol will announce to join the presidential race in a declaration of candidacy where he focuses on the need of transfer of power with the following keywords: justice, fairness, common sense, liberal democracy, constitutional principles and rule of law. It is the first public appearance by Mr. Yoon breaking 118 days’ silence since he resigned on March 4 in opposition of the ruling party’s legislation to completely deprive the prosecution of the interrogative right.

In a press conference titled “Where Yoon Seok-yeol speaks to South Korean citizens” at 1 p.m. on Tuesday at Patriot Yun Bong-gil Memorial located in Seocho-gu District, Seoul, the former prosecutor general will recite a 15-minute-long statement of candidacy, which is reported to be four to five A4 pages long, with his political vision included in it. 　

Twenty-plus attendants will join the event including People Power Party’s Reps. Kweon Seong-dong, Yoo Sang-bum, Lee Jong-bae and Yoon Joo-gyeong. “The declaration statement will discuss how values of rule of law and justice were devastated as witnessed by him in person in the position of the prosecutor general,” said an insider of Mr. Yoon’s side. 　

Following his recital, a random Q&A session will last 40 minutes with the intention to dispel controversy over his indirect way of delivering political messages, by making sure that Mr. Yoon receives questions and replies directly on the spot. “Yoon will show a humble speech style of his own not projecting him as a calculating and sophisticated politician,” said a close person to Mr. Yoon.


Kwan-Seok Jang jks@donga.com · Joo-Young Jeon aimhigh@donga.com