'13 Days of Election Fever' as Campaigning Begins on Day 1... Ruling and Opposition Parties Fan Out to Win Over Voters [June 3 Local Elections D-12]

As official campaigning for the June 3 local elections began on the 21st, candidates from both the ruling and opposition parties, as well as their leadership, launched all-out efforts. Jung Cheong-rae of the Democratic Party of Korea and Jang Dong-hyeok of the People Power Party (PPP) both headed to the Chungcheong region on the first day, kicking off a battle for the political center. The Democratic Party framed the race as a judgment on insurrection, while the PPP countered with a call to judge the administration.
■ Jung Cheong-rae heads to Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Daejeon and Chungcheongnam-do
Jung Cheong-rae, who serves as the Democratic Party's chief election committee chair, campaigned in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province before moving on to Daejeon and Chungcheongnam-do to seek support. The move appeared aimed at locking in an advantage by focusing on the relatively moderate Seoul metropolitan area and the political center on the first day of campaigning.
Jung began the day at midnight by backing Jeong Won-oh, the party's Seoul Metropolitan City mayoral candidate. He sorted parcels at the East Seoul Mail Center in Gwangjin District, Seoul. Asked about starting his first schedule in Seoul, he said, "We must now bring an end to Oh Se-hoon's Seoul," and added, "Together with the people, I want to eradicate the December 3 martial law insurrection and deliver a new democracy and a bright, hopeful Republic of Korea on June 3." At 7 a.m., he went to Sangdo-dong, Dongjak-gu, to support Ryu Sam-young, the Dongjak District mayoral candidate. He described the local election as a matter of "clearing out the insurrection" and sharply attacked the PPP.
At Seohyeon station in Seongnam-si, he said during a campaign rally for Choo Mi-ae, the Gyeonggi Province governor candidate, "For the normalization of the country, we must firmly judge the forces behind the December 3 martial law insurrection," and added, "We must drive the 'Yoon Again' forces, who dream of Yoon Suk Yeol's return, out of the Republic of Korea once and for all." Since Seongnam is also the political hometown of President Lee Jae Myung, he invoked the president while supporting Choo and Kim Byung-wook, the candidate for mayor of Seongnam.
Soon after, Jung visited Gongju in Chungcheongnam-do to support Park Soo-hyun, the province's governor candidate, and Kim Young-bin, the candidate in the by-election for the Gongju–Buyeo–Cheongyang constituency. He said, "During the Yoon Suk Yeol prosecution dictatorship, the KOSPI was not even at 3,000, but one year after President Lee Jae Myung took office, it jumped to 7,000," adding that this was "proof that the world recognizes the Republic of Korea, that the country's credibility has risen, and that democracy is gradually being restored." Jung also visited Euneungjeongi Cultural Street in Jung District, Daejeon, and Dong-gu Jungang Market to help Heo Tae-jeong, the Daejeon mayoral candidate.■ Jang Dong-hyeok campaigns in Daejeon and Chungcheongnam-do with a call to "judge the administration"
Jang Dong-hyeok, the PPP's standing election committee chair, also toured Daejeon and Chungcheongnam-do that day to mount a counteroffensive. The move was seen as an effort to ride a recent uptick in support for his party's candidates. Chungcheongnam-do is also Jang's hometown. He put the slogan of "judging the administration" front and center, arguing that if the Democratic Party wins the local elections, there will be no force left to check the government and the ruling party. At Daejeon Station Plaza, he strongly criticized the opposition, saying, "They set up a four-tier trial system to erase their own crimes, and now they say they will even create a special counsel to cancel trials. Is that something a human being can do while wearing a human face?"
He also backed Kim Tae-heum, the Chungcheongnam-do governor candidate, and Yoon Yong-geun, who is running in the by-election for the Gongju–Buyeo–Cheongyang constituency, in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do. There, he even crossed paths with Jung Cheong-rae. Jang raised his voice in response. He urged voters to "properly judge the arrogant and shameless Democratic Party, which is fielding criminals as candidates," and appealed for support so that the PPP can win across the country.■ RKP goes all in on Pyeongtaek and Honam, Reform Party focuses on Seoul and Gyeonggi Province
Cho Kuk, the RKP candidate, spent the day campaigning in Pyeongtaek as he is running in the by-election for the Pyeongtaek constituency in Gyeonggi Province. He held a launch event for the campaign committee at the site planned for Pyeongtaek Godeok Station and said, "For the development of the Republic of Korea and the leap forward of Pyeongtaek, please look closely at who truly has the ability, determination and drive." He made a case for his candidacy based on personal capability.
RKP lawmakers are not only supporting Cho but also focusing on the battle for Honam. Their aim is to break the Democratic Party's stronghold in North Jeolla Province. Ten of the party's 12 lawmakers went to North Jeolla Province to campaign. Standing election committee chair Seo Wang-jin said, "We must break the old monopoly politics of one party and open a new kind of local politics that takes responsibility for residents' lives," adding that "stagnant water needs catfish" as he appealed for support.The Reform Party concentrated its efforts on Seoul and Gyeonggi Province that day, making a bold bet on the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area with many young voters. At a campaign launch event in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, party leader Lee Jun-seok said, "The party that can revive industry and improve people's living conditions, centered on Gyeonggi Province governor candidate Jo Eungcheon, is the Reform Party," and promised, "We will link transportation and housing issues well so that we can present pledges that work for residents of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province."
Lee later attended the launch event for Kim Jeong-cheol, the party's candidate for Seoul Metropolitan City mayor, at Sadang station in Dongjak District, Seoul, to support him. The party hopes to establish itself as an "alternative force" amid a fiercely confrontational atmosphere in which Democratic Party and PPP candidates are engaging in a negative campaign war.
haeram@fnnews.com Lee Hae-ram, Song Ji-won, Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter