The Democratic Party criticized the People Power Party on May 24 for focusing solely on malicious smear tactics ahead of the June 3 local elections. They called for an apology from Kim Kwan-young, the candidate for governor of North Jeolla Province, for his claims of prior communication with President Lee Jae-myung regarding his independent candidacy, which they asserted were false.
Kang Jun-hyun, the Democratic Party's chief spokesperson, held a press conference at the National Assembly, stating, "In the lead-up to the local elections, the People Power Party has spent the past week attacking the Lee Jae-myung administration and the ruling party over the Starbucks 5.18 Democracy Movement controversy." He added, "The People Power Party has yet to present any substantial election strategy to the public beyond these malicious smear campaigns."
He continued, "Representative Jang Dong-hyuk has treated the emphasis on the spirit of May 18 as if it were an act of political coercion against the public, while Representative Na Kyung-won claims that the government and ruling party are engaging in a witch hunt. This is a serious insult to the history of those who fell victim to state violence, and the public is rightfully outraged."
Kang Jun-hyun, the Democratic Party's chief spokesperson, held a press conference at the National Assembly, stating, "In the lead-up to the local elections, the People Power Party has spent the past week attacking the Lee Jae-myung administration and the ruling party over the Starbucks 5.18 Democracy Movement controversy." He added, "The People Power Party has yet to present any substantial election strategy to the public beyond these malicious smear campaigns."
He continued, "Representative Jang Dong-hyuk has treated the emphasis on the spirit of May 18 as if it were an act of political coercion against the public, while Representative Na Kyung-won claims that the government and ruling party are engaging in a witch hunt. This is a serious insult to the history of those who fell victim to state violence, and the public is rightfully outraged."
Kang emphasized, "The government and ruling party have not forced anger or boycotts upon anyone. It is the People Power Party that has misused the call to correct a distorted view of history as a tool for political strife and electioneering. This is not a normal way of thinking."
He accused Representative Jang of attempting to launch a smear campaign against Park Soo-hyun, the candidate for governor of South Chungcheong Province, stating, "Despite a decision indicating that it is difficult to verify the substance of the claims, they are used every election cycle. The Democratic Party is considering legal action, including filing complaints, against the repeated and malicious dissemination of false information."
Additionally, Kang criticized Kim Kwan-young for his claims of prior communication with President Lee regarding his independent candidacy. He stated, "After verifying the facts through the Blue House, we received confirmation that these claims are entirely false. This is a political maneuver to gain an advantage by invoking the president's name, which is an act of defamation."
Kang concluded, "Instead of reflecting on the mistakes that led to his loss of eligibility as a Democratic candidate due to cash distribution, he has hastily declared his independent candidacy and is making absurd claims. I urge him to acknowledge his misuse of the president's name for electoral gain and to apologize promptly to President Lee, the Democratic Party, and the people of North Jeolla Province."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.