On the afternoon of Nov. 2, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo visits the National May 18th Democratic Cemetery in North Gwangju, where he is blocked by protests from civic and social group representatives including Gwangju Emergency Action, as he appeals, “I am also a person from Honam.” /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

On the 2nd, the Democratic Party of Korea criticized independent presidential candidate Han Duck-soo, who declared his candidacy for the presidential election, stating that he is effectively an accomplice in the insurrection caused by former President Yoon Suk-yeol through martial law and that he has no justification for running.

On that day, the chief spokesperson for the election campaign committee, Cho Seung-rae, noted in a briefing at the National Assembly that “the declaration of candidacy by candidate Han is the 'second attempt at insurrection' by the remnants of the insurrection that preceded the insurrection,” adding that “Yoon Suk-yeol in the guise of Han Duck-soo is running for the presidency again.”

He further stated, “It is outrageous that an accused of constitutional destruction talks about constitutional amendments, an individual responsible for economic ruin speaks about people's livelihoods, and a conspirator in treason mentions trade; such shamelessness has never been seen,” and emphasized that “the nature of the presidential election has become clearly a confrontation between the remnants of the insurrection dreaming of a second insurrection and the people wishing for an end to the insurrection.”

Kim Min-seok, the co-chairman of the election campaign committee, stated during a central election committee meeting held at the central party office in Yeouido that “‘Eulsa-muktu’ Han Duck-soo will be recorded as a symbol of irresponsibility,” and he noted, “Han Duck-soo's candidacy is Yoon Suk-yeol's candidacy.”