"I'm Listening to Both the Expectations and Concerns of the People" Yoon Seok-youl Hints at a Presidential Bid

[경향신문]

Former prosecutor general Yoon Seok-youl applauds while attending the opening ceremony of the Woodang Lee Hoe-yeong Memorial established to remember the independence fighter, at Namsan Yejang Park in Jung-gu, Seoul on June 9. Kwon Do-hyun

On June 9, Yoon Seok-youl (pictured), former prosecutor general and a strong opposition candidate for the presidential election said, “I am listening to and am well aware of the expectations and concerns of the people.” Yoon appeared to be hinting at the launch of a presidential bid two days before the People Power Party convention. However, he avoided mentioning any details about joining the People Power Party.

This day, Yoon appeared at the opening ceremony of the Woodang Lee Hoe-yeong Memorial at Namsan Yejang Park in Seoul and responded to questions from the press by saying, “I ask you to wait and see.” This was the first time that Yoon spoke about his political activities at a public occasion.

When asked about whether he would join the People Power Party, Yoon replied that it was not yet the time to say anything about the issue and said, “You will gradually know as you observe the road I take.”

Yoon appeared at a public event for the first time in two months since he showed up for early voting in the April 7 by-elections on April 2.

Yoon attended the opening ceremony and said, “The life of Woodang and his family vividly symbolizes the noblesse oblige during a harsh time when our country had fallen.” He also said, “What kind of person a country produces along with what kind of person that country remembers determines whether or not that person will be seen.” Reportedly, Yoon attended this day’s event to broaden his political scope to veteran affairs. Also Lee Chul-woo, a professor at Yonsei University, known to be an old friend of the former prosecutor general, is the great-grandson of Lee Hoe-yeong.

Yoon’s public appearance is seen as a sign announcing his political debut. However, Yoon refused to answer questions on whether he was launching his bid for the presidency as well as on his joining the People Power Party and maintained an ambiguous attitude. He remained silent on questions from the press about his position on the case concerning his mother-in-law.