In the final stages of the Democratic Party's national convention, candidate Jeong Cheong-rae targeted rival Kim Min-seok on August 16, stating, "Once betrayed, one can be betrayed again." Jeong's remarks came after he narrowly lost to Kim in the Honam regional primary on August 15, as he sought to rally support in the Gyeonggi Province.
During a joint speech event held at the Suwon Indoor Gymnasium in Gyeonggi Province, Jeong continued to challenge Kim, asserting, "Loyalty is upheld by those who have been loyal. Once betrayed, one can be betrayed again," and emphasized, "As the icon of prioritizing the party over self, I will uphold my loyalty to the Democratic Party and President Lee Jae-myung to the end."
In contrast, Kim refrained from responding directly to Jeong's attacks and instead highlighted the unique challenges faced by Gyeonggi Province, which has historically received fewer benefits due to its proximity to Seoul. He proposed region-specific policies aimed at addressing these issues.
Kim stated, "Gyeonggi has three main tasks. First, it must lead the future and the world through semiconductors," adding that reform policies such as basic income and local currency should drive the country's reform and normalize the northern border areas of Gyeonggi, which have faced discrimination from the capital region.
He also expressed a commitment to share the financial burdens faced by Gyeonggi, declaring, "I will ensure that the semiconductor locomotive already running in Gyeonggi and the three mega-project locomotives for the local areas run together."
Meanwhile, candidate Song Young-gil reiterated the importance of peace in inter-Korean relations, appealing for support by referencing President Lee. Song remarked, "President Lee is precious as he is a president who protects peace," and added, "No matter how much the economy develops or how advanced we become in artificial intelligence, if inter-Korean relations deteriorate, it will all be for nothing."
He further stated, "I will work with President Lee to fulfill the roles that former Presidents Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in could not achieve, aiming to successfully conduct a North Korea-U.S. summit to change the dynamics of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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