Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon officially declared his presidential bid on Thursday.

Han made the announcement at a ceremony at the National Assembly, where he promised to fight against former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung.

The conservative party’s former chief said the country must protect the future from “dangerous politicians” who would abandon it for their own power and extreme populists who trust them blindly.

Han said the Democratic Party will continue to use the martial law situation in arguing for a power transition, but added that he was among the first to enter the National Assembly on December 3 to vote down the martial law decree.

He stressed that he deeply sympathized with those who suffered as a result of martial law and the resulting impeachment trial, vowing to move the country toward liberal democracy.