Hong Joon-pyo, the mayor of Daegu, announced on the 10th that he would resign from his position to run for president.
The mayor said, "The support of Daegu, the heart of conservatism, was a great driving force in my political journey toward my dream," and noted, "Now is the time to focus on winning the presidential election after overcoming the impeachment crisis."
In a statement that day, the mayor expressed, "I want to leave my position as mayor of Daegu to run in this presidential election," adding, "Only winning the presidential election can free former President Yoon Suk-yeol from his unfairness and prevent the large opposition party from seizing power."
He continued, "I apologize for leaving before my term is over," and said, "I will win the presidential election to stabilize this wavering country and fulfill the promises I made as the mayor of Daegu."
The mayor reflected, "After taking office as mayor of Daegu, I achieved innovations that set a nationwide example in various fields and led a major transition to future new industries," and "started projects for the future of Daegu to ensure that the direction does not change no matter who comes in."
However, he expressed disappointment, saying, "Due to the city's insufficient financial situation, I had no choice but to reduce subsidies," and "As a result, support in the fields of culture, arts, and society had to be diminished."
The mayor's retirement ceremony will be held on the 11th at the main auditorium of Daegu City Hall. On the 14th, he plans to officially declare his candidacy for president in Yeouido, Seoul. He has arranged a campaign office of about 1322 square meters (approximately 400 pyeong) on the 4th floor of the Daehwa Building in Yeouido, Seoul, known as a "lucky ground" that produced three former presidents.