As former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye campaign for the June 3 local elections, interpretations from both ruling and opposition parties diverge. The People Power Party believes the former presidents' support will galvanize conservative voters, while the Democratic Party argues that any such consolidation has already occurred, rendering their impact minimal.
Kwon Chil-seung, a co-chair of the campaign for Democratic Party candidate Kim Boo-kyum for Daegu mayor, stated on June 1 during a press briefing at the National Assembly that he does not believe the presence of Park will influence the election outcome. He described the situation as a regression in Daegu politics and expressed confidence that the citizens will make a wise decision.
Park Geun-hye made her appearance in Daegu, often referred to as the "heart of conservatism," as Kim and Choo Kyung-ho, the People Power Party's candidate for mayor, were in a tight race. Following her initial appearance, she has been campaigning in regions including Gangwon, Chungcheong, and Gyeongnam. Lee Myung-bak has also supported candidates such as Oh Se-hoon for Seoul mayor and Park Hyung-jun for Busan mayor.
The People Power Party has analyzed that the involvement of both former presidents will positively influence voter turnout among conservatives. Park Hyung-jun mentioned on KBS Radio's "Current Affairs" program on May 29 that the support of former presidents encourages more conservative voters to head to the polls.
However, Hong Joon-pyo, a former mayor of Daegu who left the People Power Party, criticized the former presidents on Facebook, stating that it is their duty to promote national unity, and their current actions do not reflect that responsibility.
The Democratic Party has also taken a negative stance on the effectiveness of former presidents' support. Spokesperson Kang Jun-hyun stated on May 31 that since the conservative base has already consolidated, the involvement of Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye will not significantly affect the election.
Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, attending a central election committee meeting in Cheonan, asserted that there are still factions dreaming of a revival of Yoon Seok-yeol, who he referred to as the leader of a coup, and that Park Geun-hye, who was impeached due to corruption, and Lee Myung-bak, a symbol of corruption who has served time, are undermining President Lee Jae-myung. He emphasized the need to send the trio of Yoon Seok-yeol, Lee Myung-bak, and Park Geun-hye into history.
Jo Seung-rae, the party's secretary-general, also remarked during a press conference that relying on past leaders to influence the election is a relic of the past, asserting that reasonable citizens will not accept former presidents who have been imprisoned for corruption and abuse of power.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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