Following the passage of the 'manipulated indictment special prosecutor law' at the first plenary session after the National Assembly's audit, the Democratic Party of Korea appears to be shifting its focus toward livelihood issues. This move is interpreted as an attempt to recover from declining approval ratings after being overtaken by the People Power Party.
According to political sources, on November 9, the Democratic Party's approval rating stood at 32.2%, trailing behind the People Power Party, which secured 42.5%. Notably, the region of Daegu and Gyeongbuk, where the Democratic leadership visited, experienced the steepest decline in approval ratings, dropping 8.4% to 23.2% compared to the previous month. This suggests that Kim Min-seok, the party leader, is targeting livelihood issues to boost support.
Led by Kim, the Democratic leadership visited Gyeongbuk, a 'challenging area' for the party, where the establishment of a national medical school has been confirmed. They promised significant investments in the Gumi National Industrial Complex to enhance their appeal.
Kim stated, "Gumi has been selected for the government's AX demonstration industrial complex project, with an investment of 24.6 billion won planned by 2029. I will actively support Gumi to become a hub for the artificial intelligence (AI) robotics industry and youth employment through legislation and budget allocations."
Supreme Council member Jeon Yong-ki highlighted the recent confirmation of the national medical school, noting, "Gyeongbuk is the only region among the country's metropolitan governments without a general hospital. I will take responsibility for securing faculty, building a teaching hospital, and obtaining national funding by the time it opens in 2030."
Spokesperson Jo Gye-won also responded to inquiries from Aju Economy, stating, "We are resuming our focus on livelihood issues. Even with the upcoming general elections, there are positive factors that could influence our approval ratings. Through this Gyeongbuk schedule, we aim to address both livelihood and approval ratings."
Additionally, the Democratic Party reiterated its stance on property tax reform during a high-level party-government meeting held the previous day, advocating for a unified property tax threshold of 1.4 billion won regardless of actual residency. They are attempting to secure public sentiment through real estate policy.
Kim Young-bae, the chair of the Seoul City Party, told reporters, "The party needs to create measures focused on first-time homebuyers and actual residents. We must push for protections for single-homeowners and stabilize real estate prices."
He added, "Above all, the party's position is that the same property tax should apply to non-resident single-homeowners. We also need to consider the importance of measures for the rental market."
Kwon Chil-seung, the policy committee chair, emphasized that discussions on real estate tax reform should continue with the government, stating, "We need to finalize tax-related legislation by the end of the year. There is still time, so we will continue discussions between the party and the government."
Meanwhile, the public opinion survey mentioned in the article was conducted by Realmeter at the request of Asia Economy from November 5 to 6, surveying 1,006 individuals aged 18 and older nationwide. The survey utilized randomly generated mobile phone numbers and was conducted via an automated response system (ARS). The response rate was 3.2%, with a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. For more details, please refer to the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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