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Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol declared his candidacy for the presidential election at 1 p.m. on the 29th at the 'Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall' in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu. On this day, former Prosecutor General Yoon criticized the Moon Jae-in administration, stating that fairness, common sense, and democracy are facing a crisis. Photo by Kim So-young sozero815@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han, Choyoung Kim, and Soyoung Kim] "Why is Yoon Seok-yeol running!", "Moon Jae-in government was so bad... We have high hopes!"

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol declared his presidential candidacy on the 29th at 1 p.m. at the 'Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall' in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu. Citizens watching this scene at the Seoul Station waiting room engaged in a heated debate.

Regarding Yoon's presidential bid, some expressed that it was "absolutely unacceptable," while others welcomed and looked forward to it. On the other hand, some strongly reacted, saying they could not understand why a former prosecutor would run for president.

Kim, a man in his 50s working as a heavy equipment operator, expressed strong rejection of Yoon's actions. He raised his voice, saying, "Personally, I have serious concerns. He shouldn't run. As Prosecutor General, he shook the government for almost 20 months." He continued, "He chose people who were demoted... Looking at what he did for 20 months, he only attacked the government. Does that make sense?!" he vented his frustration.

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is entering the Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where a press conference for his presidential candidacy is being held on the morning of the 29th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Park, in his 40s and working in IT-related fields, predicted that Yoon, being from a prosecutorial background, would face many disadvantages once he entered the 'political verification stage,' which would inevitably negatively affect his presidential bid.

He criticized, "(Yoon Seok-yeol) is worrisome. He's not a politician, and a prosecutor entering politics is concerning. Nothing has been verified, and many things need to be revealed. Once he enters the political arena and undergoes verification, his approval ratings will likely drop significantly."

He added, "Also, after all, the prosecution is under the executive branch. There are many unclear issues as a former Prosecutor General. While opposition supporters back him, politics requires verification, which I don't think has been done. He hasn't shown anything," and criticized, "He may have a brilliant record in prosecution, but he has nothing in politics."

Meanwhile, some voices evaluated Yoon's presidential candidacy itself positively. Lee, a 27-year-old female bank employee working in finance, said, "I think we should wait and see. The opposition party seems to have something to look forward to."

Also, Park, a woman in her 70s, emphasized, "I have high hopes. The country is in a very difficult situation. I hope he helps make the country a place where people can live better. Regardless of party, politics is all similar. I don't think there is a big difference between candidates."

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol held a press conference at 1 p.m. on the 29th at the Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul, and announced his candidacy for the presidential election. On the same morning, banners supporting former Prosecutor General Yoon were installed in front of the Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

Additionally, Kim, a man in his 30s working at a company, said, "Justice is a hot topic among young people, so I hope he can clearly present direction and policies in that regard," but also added, "However, I think he lacks political experience. Also, since things are so divided, I hope he can suggest ways to unify these divisions."

Earlier that day, Yoon held a press conference at the Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul, officially declaring his presidential candidacy, saying, "I, Yoon Seok-yeol, will stand with the heroes who built and protected the Republic of Korea. With common sense as my weapon, I will resolutely restore the values of free democracy and the rule of law that have collapsed, and the value of fairness that transcends eras and generations."

Regarding the Moon Jae-in government, he said, "Four years ago, the Moon Jae-in administration started with the people's expectations and dawn. It promised to create a country where opportunities are equal, processes are fair, and results are just, a country without privilege and cheating. We all remember this clearly. But how has it been so far?" He criticized, "The so-called 'income-led growth' ignoring economic common sense, housing policies fighting the market, the nuclear phase-out policy that ignored the law and stifled global technology, and populist policies close to vote-buying caused suffering for tens of thousands of young people, self-employed, small business owners, and low-wage workers."

He continued, "Even when young people barely find jobs, they sigh while watching skyrocketing housing prices," and said, "The frustration of young people is driving the Republic of Korea toward a demographic cliff."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.