Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk, "People Power Party is not in a position to talk about early presidential election... Yoon must be protected first"

Lee Cheol-woo Holds Press Conference at National Assembly Communication Office
On South Korea's Political Situation: "A Soft Ideological War by Anti-State Forces"
"If We Hesitate in the Face of Presidential Impeachment Attempts,
We Will Face a Much Harsher Purge of Accumulated Evils"

Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 19th, stating, "The People Power Party should devote itself entirely to defending liberal democracy, not to an early presidential election." He emphasized the need to protect President Yoon Seok-yeol.

At the press conference, Governor Lee said, "All citizens are witnessing the unreasonable and unfair measures arising during the current process of President Yoon's arrest and impeachment trial," adding, "Right-wing politicians, including those in the People Power Party, must put all their efforts into protecting President Yoon from an impeachment trial marked by procedural flaws and even violent behavior." He criticized the ruling party’s next presidential hopefuls who are warming up as President Yoon’s impeachment trial approaches.

First, regarding the current political situation in South Korea, Governor Lee listed anti-American movements, mad cow disease protests, opposition to the construction of the Jeju naval base, protests against the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, contacts between some Democratic Labor Union executives and North Korean agents, exposure of black agents’ identities, and leaks of national core technology equipment blueprints, defining these as a "soft ideological war by anti-state forces."

Regarding the opposition’s characterization of the December 3 emergency martial law incident as an act of rebellion, he argued, "Anti-state forces are trying to impeach President Yoon and seize state power through an early presidential election, which is an attempt to take control of the entire Republic of Korea."

Governor Lee stated, "The declaration of martial law is a presidential authority stipulated in the Constitution, and whether it carries any particular meaning or was excessive is a matter for history to judge," adding, "With the presidential impeachment trial symbolizing the clash between forces defending the Republic of Korea and anti-state forces, the People Power Party is not in a position to be cautious by talking about early elections or centrist expansion."

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He continued, "If the People Power Party hesitates again and watches timidly while anti-state forces attempt to impeach their own party’s president, they will lose the trust of the people and the government, and face a much harsher purge of accumulated evils," raising his voice once more.

Lee, a former National Intelligence Service official, responded to reporters after the conference when asked whether the anti-state forces referred to specific organizations or individuals, saying, "From the Hyo-sun and Mi-sun incident to mad cow disease, THAAD rumors, and the Jeju naval base, most of these forces are largely the same."

He added, "During the THAAD deployment, many people came to protest, danced in groups, entered the National Assembly and danced while saying 'everyone will die,' but no one died from the radiation, and there was no damage. However, how many citizens suffered? I think such things are still continuing."

When asked if the press conference was timed with an early presidential election candidacy in mind, he replied, "I have never thought about elections," and said, "I only want to express my feeling that the country is in danger and must be protected." Regarding speculation that former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon will soon return to politics, he said, "It is not worth mentioning."

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