DP candidates slam Yoon Suk Yeol's 'self-coup,' split over presidential relocation

The presidential candidates of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea said Friday that those responsible for former President Yoon Suk Yeol's attempted self-coup must face justice.

In a televised debate, former Democratic Party Chair Lee Jae-myung, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon, and former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo voiced unanimous support for holding accountable anyone involved in Yoon’s controversial imposition of martial law last December.

Lee, a prominent figure in the race, said if he is elected he will make it a priority to uncover the truth behind the martial law declaration. He emphasized that the measure violated existing legal provisions, which prohibit the declaration of martial law unless South Korea is under armed attack from a foreign enemy.

The imposition of martial law in a time of peace constitutes a serious abuse of power, Lee said, adding that such actions must not go unpunished.

Another candidate, Kim Kyoung-soo, proposed revising the law to explicitly ban any South Korean president from declaring martial law unless the country is in a state of war. Meanwhile, Kim Dong-yeon called for legal reforms that would bar individuals who incite insurrection from being eligible for presidential amnesty.

Lee also criticized the conservative People Power Party, to which former President Yoon belongs, accusing it of betraying the trust of conservative voters and shifting toward the far right. He argued that the Democratic Party should begin reaching out to moderate conservatives, as the People Power Party has “abandoned its role” as a representative of traditional conservative values.

Despite the Democratic Party’s longstanding commitment to liberal principles, former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo agreed with Lee’s call for broader political inclusion. Kim Dong-yeon, however, said the Democratic Party must remain liberal in its outlook.

The liberal candidates remained divided over whether they should stop using the presidential office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The office has been used since Yoon was inaugurated in May 2022 after the now-outgoing administration relocated the office from Cheong Wa Dae in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Lee said relocating the office immediately is not a realistic option, considering the cost of moving it again. He said he would begin working in Yongsan-gu and use the building until he is ready to move to Cheong Wa Dae, adding that his ultimate goal is to move his office to the de facto administrative city of Sejong.

Kim Dong-yeon countered that the next president could start working in Sejong from day one, because there is already space there for the president and the Cabinet. He added that his proposal would work if the presidential office were ultimately downsized.

Kim Kyoung-soo also suggested an immediate relocation because the presidential office's current location next to the headquarters of the Defense Ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff exposes the South Korean chain of command to an attack by the enemy.

Friday's televised debate was the first since the presidential race within the Democratic Party started earlier this week. Voting in the party’s presidential primary could take place as early as April 27.