Increasing Public Engagement by Publishing Books... Passport Also Enters Full-Scale Presidential Race

Han Dong-hoon Publishes Book Last Month... Active Public Engagements Including Book Concerts
Hong Joon-pyo and Oh Se-hoon to Release Books This Month
Ruling Party Candidates Advocate Constitutional Reform to Challenge Lee Jae-myung

As President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial nears its final stages, potential presidential candidates from the ruling party are increasing their public engagements, signaling their entry into the presidential race. They are using book publications as an opportunity to enhance communication with the public and secure support from moderate voters, while also advocating for constitutional reform to challenge the dominant position of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

According to the ruling party on the 4th, former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon plans an active schedule, including holding a book concert near Hongdae Entrance in Seoul on the 5th and delivering a lecture at a university student forum on the 6th. After a two-month hiatus following his resignation as party leader, Han published his book "Han Dong-hoon's Choice - The People Come First" on the 26th of last month, covering anecdotes from the December 3 emergency martial law to his resignation, as well as reform agendas in politics and the economy.

Handonghun, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, and Oh Se-hoon, the Mayor of Seoul, shake hands on the 5th before a breakfast meeting at Donghaeng Restaurant in the Dongja-dong shantytown, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo have also announced plans for "publishing politics," revealing their visions on politics and the economy through book publications. Mayor Oh Se-hoon is expected to present his political views on the future of South Korea by the end of this month, focusing on five key themes emphasized in Seoul's administration: challenge and achievement, the vulnerable, future generations, local governance, and the international community. Mayor Hong Joon-pyo announced on the same day that he plans to publish two books this month: a collection of recent Facebook posts titled "Dreams Come True" and "The 7th Republic (Great Korea) Opens the Era of an Advanced Nation."

Among various opinion polls, Employment and Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, a leading figure within the ruling party, has been making his presence felt mainly by attending People Power Party-hosted debates and party-government meetings. At the 65th anniversary ceremony of the February 28 Democratic Movement held in Daegu on the 28th of last month, Minister Kim told reporters, "I am willing to do anything for South Korea," not completely ruling out the possibility of running for president.

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo greet each other on the 28th before attending the 65th anniversary ceremony of the February 28 Democratic Movement and paying respects at the February 28 Democratic Movement Memorial Tower at the Daegu Culture and Arts Center in Dalseo-gu, Daegu. Photo by Yonhap News

Potential presidential candidates from the ruling party have also begun promoting constitutional reform. Their aim is to change the current single five-year presidential term system to a four-year renewable term system, thereby eliminating the drawbacks of the imperial presidency. This move is also interpreted as an attempt to shake the one-man dominance of Lee Jae-myung, the leading opposition presidential candidate and Democratic Party leader, who has distanced himself from constitutional reform discussions.

Former leader Han, Mayor Oh, People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, and former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min have advocated for constitutional reform to establish a four-year renewable presidential term and to shorten the next presidential term to hold the general election and presidential election simultaneously in 2028. In a CBS radio interview on the same day, Ahn emphasized, "Politicians must also show self-sacrifice. The 1987 system has run its course and must be reformed," adding, "I welcomed the constitutional amendment to shorten the term."

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