Hong Joon-pyo joins the race

[Anchor]

In the People Power Party, which is currently registering candidates for the primary, the competition for the first round and the final four is intensifying.

Today (Apr. 14), former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo declared his candidacy, bringing the total of four candidates to four, including former Minister Kim Moon-soo, former party leader Han Dong-hoon, and lawmakers Ahn Cheol-soo and Na Kyung-won.

Reporter Kim Yoo-dae has the details.

[Report]

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo ran in the 2017 presidential election during the impeachment of Presidnet Park.

At the time, he seemed like a mop-up pitcher, but now he has thrown his hat in the ring, vowing to be the savior of victory this time.

He promised to lay the groundwork for a developed nation by advocating for constitutional amendments, regulatory reforms, labor flexibility, and a nuclear balance theory in response to North Korea's nuclear threats.

He called for unity to win the presidential election, urging not to be bound by the pro and anti-impeachment debates.

[Hong Joon-pyo/Former Daegu Mayor: "As the martial law situation is resolved through impeachment, the candidate Lee Jae-myung must also be sent back to judicial judgment."]

Former Minister Kim Moon-soo has accelerated his efforts to organized for the primary by appointing novelist Lee Mun-yol as the honorary campaign chair.

Former party leader Han Dong-hoon focused on media interviews, while lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo targeted voters with a pledge announcement in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions.

[Ahn Cheol-soo/People Power Party Lawmaker: "Ahn Cheol-soo, a Busan High School alumnus, has returned to his hometown today to seek a new leap for PK...."]

Tensions have also flared among the primary candidates.

Lawmaker Na Kyung-won launched an offensive, stating that she would defeat former leader Han Dong-hoon, who is pro-impeachment.

[Na Kyung-won/People Power Party Lawmaker/YTN Radio 'News Fighting with Kim Young-soo': "There are candidates I absolutely cannot work with.... (Are you referring to former leader Han Dong-hoon?) That's a bit concerning."]

In response, former leader Han posted a photo of Lee Jung-hee, the former Unified Progressive Party candidate who said she ran in the 2012 presidential election to defeat Park Geun-hye, on social media, with the caption, "Do not cling to vested interests."

With the deadline for candidate registration approaching tomorrow (Apr. 15), Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheol-woo, and former lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja also had a busy day.

Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok stated that Daegu and Gyeongbuk are hoping for change, appealing for support in Gumi and Andong.

KBS News, Kim Yoo-dae.