Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the People Power Party, noted on the 9th regarding the 'presidential candidate recruitment theory' surrounding Acting President Han Duck-soo, who is gaining traction within the conservative camp, that "many individuals who are loved and trusted by the public wish to register as candidates for our party's presidential nomination."
During a press conference held in the National Assembly that day, Kweon said, regarding the recruitment theory surrounding Han, "There is no notion that some can be and others cannot be candidates."
He stated, "Except for very shameless people like Lee Jae-myung, I am in full favor of everyone else registering as candidates," adding, "Han is getting attention in the media lately, and many lawmakers and constituents favor him."
In response to concerns that a vacancy in governance could arise if Han were to resign to run for president, he replied, "The government of the Republic of Korea operates on a system, so while there might be some risks, there will not be any significant chaos."
In the political arena, there are emerging theories that Han could enter the presidential race as a candidate from the conservative camp in the early election. Kweon indicated the day before during a meeting with reporters that "many lawmakers believe he would be a suitable candidate," and it has also been reported that Representative Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party personally encouraged Han to run for the presidency the day before at the Government Seoul Complex.
While there are around 10 candidates for the People Power Party's presidential nomination, there is no clear frontrunner, and discussions are arising that Han is the right person to face off against Lee Jae-myung. Some view Han's nomination of candidates Lee Wan-kyu and Ham Seong-hoon for the Constitutional Court as a sign that he has the presidency in mind. However, Han firmly rejects the candidacy speculation raised in the political sphere, regardless of his own intentions.
Kweon asserted regarding Han's nomination of presidential candidates, "The acting president is in a position to exercise all powers held by the president," and added, "Currently, since the president is in a state of 'vacancy' rather than 'suspension of duties,' there is no controversy over the acting president actively exercising authority."
He continued, "In a situation where there could be multiple impeachment trials, we cannot indefinitely postpone the appointment of Constitutional Court judges until after the election," and pointed out that "had it not been for the impeachment addiction of the Lee Jae-myung faction, the appointment of judges would not have been such an urgent task."
He also urged the opposition party to join in a constitutional amendment to end the 1987 system. Kweon emphasized, "The spirit of the times now is to normalize both the state and politics. The June 3 election should put an end to the 1987 system and mark the beginning of the Seventh Republic," adding, "Constitutional amendment is essential. We must create a structure that disperses the excessive power of the president and restricts the abuse of power by the legislative assembly. Only then can we end the extreme confrontation and endless political strife and start a new politics of cooperation and coexistence." He further noted, "Only the Lee Jae-myung faction opposes constitutional amendment; this is regressive behavior that rejects new changes and historical progress."