Kim Sang-wook appears at campaign rally wearing a stab-resistant shirt; People Power Party says, "Report it to the police first"

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\r\n[Financial News] The Ulsan mayoral race for the June 3 local elections has been heated by an unexpected controversy over stab-resistant clothing. After Kim Sang-wook, a preliminary candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), campaigned while wearing stab-resistant gear because of alleged terror threats, the camp of Kim Doo-gyum, the People Power Party candidate, strongly pushed back, saying he was treating citizens as potential terrorists. The clash between the ruling and opposition parties is intensifying.
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According to local political circles on the 4th, the issue began the previous day when Kim Sang-wook showed the stab-resistant shirt he was wearing under his campaign jacket during a live broadcast on his YouTube channel.
During the broadcast, Kim said, "I have received threats that someone will attack me, but I will not back down," adding, "I have heard many harsh things, and even volunteers have come forward to provide security."
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\r\nHe then explained the reason for holding closed-door campaign events, saying, "I will not hesitate to go among the public, but if the schedule is announced in advance, it becomes dangerous, so I ask for your understanding."
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\r\nKim is currently avoiding campaign buses and organized mobilization. He has also skipped his campaign office opening ceremony and is continuing a quiet campaign across the five districts and counties.
In response, the People Power Party camp of Kim Doo-gyum immediately issued a statement and launched a sharp attack. Moon Ho-cheol, a spokesperson for Kim's election committee, said at a press conference at the Ulsan Metropolitan Council on the same day, "Are you saying that by wearing clothing that can even block blades when going to meet citizens, you see the people of Ulsan as potential criminals or terrorists?"
Moon added, "If there was a terror threat, it is a serious matter that should be reported to the police immediately, and the specific facts should be made clear." He criticized Kim's move, saying, "Showing only a stab-resistant shirt in front of cameras without even disclosing whether a report was filed turns the election into a sensational fear show." He also pointed out that "making the entire public uneasy without clear facts is not responsible campaigning."
As the controversy spread, Kim Sang-wook's camp moved quickly to calm the situation. An official from Kim's camp explained, "The stab-resistant clothing was not purchased for this election. It was prepared last January, during the political turmoil surrounding support for the president's impeachment, together with several lawmakers who were facing terror threats."
The official added, "Kim wore the stab-resistant clothing not because he was wary of ordinary citizens in Ulsan, but as a minimal measure to prepare for ongoing threats from outside extremist violent actors, such as the terror attack involving Lee Jae Myung in Gadeokdo."
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moon@fnnews.com Moon Young-jin Reporter