Voters Turn Cold Toward Politicians
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
It wasn't the ordinary scene one would expect from election polls ― not many people turned up to vote. But those who showed up wanted someone to represent the needs of their regions.
People were calm but passionate when talking about their needs but they showed skepticism and distrust toward politicians as a whole.
Some polling stations saw long queues of people while others were empty. Some brought their children to show ``the importance of voting'' and let them see what is going around the nation. However, in some instances, volunteers were standing in the streets to convince pedestrians to vote.
Voters in the ``neck-and-neck'' areas expressed affection for their favorite candidate.
In Eunpyeoung, northern Seoul, where former Yuhan Kimberly CEO and presidential candidate Moon Kook-hyun of the Creative Korea Party and President Lee Myung-bak's right hand man, Lee Jae-oh of the Grand National Party, are having the ``match of a lifetime,'' people were anxious about their region's future.
People came with families and friends to share their ideas about the future of their district.
Yu Jeong-hwa, who voted at an elementary school, said she voted for Moon because she liked his pledges to stop the cross-country canal project. ``By the way, I haven't seen Lee for a long time and we need some change,'' she said.
On the other hand, a middle-aged man who declined to identify himself said he voted for Lee because he is a close friend of the President and can bring real profit to the region. ``Take the Eunpyeong New Town project for example,'' he said.
In Dongjak, southern Seoul, where multimillionaire Hyundai CEO Chung Mong-joon of the GNP, and former Uri Party chairman and former presidential candidate Chung Dong-young of the United Democratic Party are battling, the most important factor was the economy.'
``I chose someone who could show me the money, who could let me not worry about life in the future,'' 24-year-old Kim Sun-hee said.
Lee Ji-ho brought his kindergarten-going son to his polling station at Sadang-dong Office, saying he voted for someone who could show leadership in leading the local economy.
Still, some stations were quiet. A student volunteer in Jongno District, Seoul where UDP head Sohn Hak-kyu and GNP lawmaker Park Jin had a close competition, said he merely saw people passing by. ``I genuinely had nothing to do and I was bored,'' he said.
This parliamentary election showed that people are not interested in politics that are about endless arguments and slander. The majority of potential voters (the 20-somethings and 30-somethings) showed ignorance or distrust toward the politicians.
In Yeongdeungpo, western Seoul, though there was a forecast of rain in the afternoon, the streets were full of people trying to enjoy an ``additional holiday.''
The district was much talked-of when Chun Yu-ok of the GNP said she would ``rid metro subway stations of the homeless'' and invited great criticism from opponents claiming homeless people are not to be ``mopped-up.''
However, citizens showed indifference toward the argument. ``I do not like Chun saying such derogatory things, nor do I like the opponents who tried to take advantage of her comments, either,'' Chung, a 27-year-old student, said.
``I couldn't tell who's the best of the worst. Politics make me sick,'' Yoon Hanna, 26-year-old graduate school student, said, explaining why she did not vote.
As a whole, many people said they were not satisfied with the candidates.
``I have no one to vote for! They are all the same. They do not even care about a thing we need but are just using us to get power and money! This is the worst election ever!'' Kim Ok-hee, a 66-year-old woman, said while walking out of the Sadang-dong Office.