As candidates from each party declare their intention to run in the 21st presidential election, former Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung differentiated himself on the 10th with a 'video announcement.' This was interpreted as an attempt to connect more closely with the public through a video featuring his image and voice.
He released an 11-minute and 36-second video on YouTube and other platforms that morning at 10 a.m.
The video starts with a documentary interview format, beginning with a ruling by acting Constitutional Court Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae regarding the impeachment decision of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
Lee said, 'The greatness of the people is the source of the greatness of the Republic of Korea,' expressing gratitude to the citizens who led the impeachment process. He continued, 'The people are breaking free from a long, long winter,' adding, 'That winter, which felt like it would last forever, is gone, and spring is here. Let’s create a more beautiful and warmer spring together, hand in hand.'
Unlike his serious expression in the previous video for the 20th presidential election, Lee maintained a slight smile this time. It was noticeable that dark scenes of the impeachment rallies were interspersed with cherry blossoms symbolizing spring. A spokesperson for Lee remarked, 'We aimed to convey a sense of hope,' and explained, 'We believed that presenting it through a video would be more approachable for the public than the traditional method of displaying power at the site.'
In the middle of the video, Lee explains a new national vision he has conceptualized. He presented the 'K-Initiative,' emphasizing the practical approach that is his trademark, along with the potential of the Republic of Korea. The video concludes with the phrase 'From now on, the real Republic of Korea,' showing Lee stepping out into the field.
Earlier, Lee had chosen video as a means of declaring his candidacy during the 20th presidential election on July 1, 2021. Given the severe COVID-19 situation, this was a strategy to allay public concerns about the pandemic while gaining favor. Other figures, such as Democratic Party lawmaker Choo Mi-ae, former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, and People Power Party lawmaker Kim Tae-ho, also made non-face-to-face announcements, and this video declaration trend spread widely.
In the political sphere, former President Moon Jae-in is credited as the pioneer of video announcements. In March 2017, he produced a video for his declaration of candidacy for the 19th presidential election and published it on social media. The video, overseen by former Chief Protocol Secretary Tak Hyun-min of the Moon Jae-in administration, featured a concept of 'national declaration' where citizens collectively read the declaration, embodying the spirit of national unity.
This video from Lee was collaboratively planned by members of his secretariat. A representative from Lee's team noted, 'The ideas were developed in discussions among the secretariat members,' and added, 'When we presented the planning intentions to Lee, he gladly accepted it.'