Final Day of Campaigning Ahead of Local Elections in South Korea

On June 2, one day before the local elections and National Assembly by-elections, Jung Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, and Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, visited Gangwon and Chungcheongnam-do, respectively, to rally support. The two leaders then returned to Seoul, a key battleground, to encourage voter turnout.

Jung campaigned vigorously in Jeongseon and Yeongwol, aiming to reclaim the governorship of Gangwon Province with Woo Sang-ho as the candidate. Addressing the residents, Jung stated, "How much do we want to win that I came to Gangwon on the last day? The Democratic Party can fully support the laws and budgets necessary for the eradication of insurrectionist forces and the development of Gangwon." He emphasized the importance of the election, describing it as a chance to empower President Lee Jae-myung, overcome martial law and insurrection, and elect capable leaders. He promised, "To ensure Gangwon's development, we will fulfill all the requests made by candidate Woo."

Jung also criticized former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, who have recently been campaigning to consolidate conservative support. He remarked, "Can we tolerate those who were impeached by the people and imprisoned for corruption returning to the election scene? We must show that their presence is futile for the normalization of our country and the establishment of an effective local government."

In contrast, Jang focused on the Chungnam region, visiting Cheongyang, Gongju, Dangjin, and Cheonan to secure votes. He had already campaigned in Chungnam on the first day of official election activities and made three visits to the region leading up to this day. In addition to Chungnam, he visited Daejeon four times and Sejong once over 13 days, making a total of eight trips to the Chungcheong area.

During a rally in Dangjin with Kim Tae-heum, the candidate for governor of Chungnam, Jang urged voters to trust Kim to create a "great Chungnam" and said, "Democratic candidates can’t even speak a word in debates and don’t know their own promises or addresses. They are putting forward candidates who are nothing more than sticks." He asserted that voters must judge the arrogance of President Lee and the Democratic Party through their ballots.
  On the final day of campaigning, both leaders returned to Seoul to encourage citizens to participate in the elections. Jung held a press conference at the National Assembly, urging voters to support the Democratic Party's candidate, number one on the ballot, to strengthen the effective government. He stated, "Power comes not from the barrel of a gun but from the ballot box. We must severely judge the anti-constitutional and anti-democratic forces." He planned to support the final rally for Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Won-oh at Cheonggye Plaza in central Seoul.

Jang also held a press conference at the party headquarters in Yeouido, stating, "This election will determine my life and the future of South Korea. I will protect the homes, properties, and freedoms of the people. Please come out to vote and unite under number two, the People Power Party." Later in the evening, he planned to visit areas with many young voters, such as Jongno 3-ga Station and Hongdae, to encourage voter turnout.

Meanwhile, Han Byeong-do, the Democratic Party's floor leader, and Song Eon-seok, the People Power Party's floor leader, visited Jeollabuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do, respectively, to secure their strongholds. Han accompanied Lee Won-taek, the candidate for governor of Jeollabuk-do, throughout the day, providing full support. Lee is competing against Kim Kwan-young, an independent candidate who left the Democratic Party.



* This article has been translated by AI.

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