'They're going to be elected, anyway'
Ruling People Power Party's Daegu mayoral candidate Hong Joon-pyo, center, speaks to vendors at Gwanmoon Traditional Market in Daegu's Nam District while canvassing for the June 1 local elections, May 23. Newsis
Ruling party candidates for local elections lead comfortably in stronghold region
By Ko Dong-hwan
On Wednesday at around 4 p.m., the ruling People Power Party's (PPP) candidate for the Daegu mayoral election, Hong Joon-pyo, showed up at a street market in the city's Paldal District to canvass for support, greeting crowds of people who were rooting for him. After three hours, he then moved to the city's Buk District where he held a Q&A session on the streets with members of the public for an hour ― which he dubbed “political busking.” He then wrapped up his schedule for the day ― with less than a week remaining until the June 1 local elections.
His daily meetings with the public continued the following day when he canvassed at Hwawon traditional market at 4 p.m. and then joined a TV debate with three other city mayoral candidates hosted by Daegu MBC at 11 p.m. On Friday, after canvassing at Seonam traditional market at 2 p.m. and hosting another Q&A street busking session in Dalseong District at 7 p.m., Hong finally called it a day.
Whether being overconfident about winning the gubernatorial election or being simply sluggish, Hong, the former presidential candidate of the conservative party, has never had more than two public outings a day since the official election campaigning began on May 19. That's much less than almost any other candidate running for the post, who usually make every hour count in their busy canvassing schedules.
The main opposition liberal Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) candidate Seo Jae-heon, running against Hong in the election, didn't rest on his laurels on Wednesday. In fact, he showed up at 7 a.m. to say hello to morning commuters and was still working hard at 9 p.m., visiting a local church.
Hong's breezy schedule, however, is somewhat understandable when his public support ratings in the country's strongest conservative stronghold tower over his rivals by over 70 percent. In a survey conducted by Hangil Research on May 23-24, just 17 percent of respondents supported Seo and 1 percent supported each of the two minor party candidates such as the Justice Party and Basic Income Party.
The figures encourage observers to anticipate Hong will win this election easily.
“There are now many civic groups wanting to meet Hong, from war veterans to local residents' community groups and the local daycare centers' association,” an official at Hong's election camp reportedly said. “So, the candidate has been meeting them in the morning and the afternoon, listening to their requests and discussing what he can do for them. Isn't it much more effective than delivering speeches early in the morning when no one really listens?”
On left, People Power Party's North Gyeongsang provincial governor candidate Lee Chul-woo speaks to crowds at a beach in Pohang, May 22. Center, People Power Party's Busan mayoral candidate Park Hyeong-jun, left, and party chairman Lee Jun-seok speak to members of the public at Gupo traditional market in Busan's Buk District, May 23. On right, People Power Party's South Gyeongsang provincial governor candidate Park Wan-soo meets vendors at Gohyun traditional market in Geoje, May 20. Newsis
Other Daegu mayoral candidates criticized Hong for being insincere to the public by not meeting them in person enough. Han Min-jeong from the minor progressive Justice Party advised Hong on Wednesday not to ignore the public and communicate with them more even if his outstanding public support rating seems very reassuring.
A similarly tilted playing field can also be witnessed in North Gyeongsang Province, another staunch conservative stronghold where many local residents ― particularly in their 60s and older ― view DPK lawmakers as communists.
Lim Mi-ae, a DPK candidate running for the provincial governor's seat, knows that and yet hasn't given up the race against the PPP's Lee Chul-woo, the incumbent provincial governor looking to be reelected. Lee's victory is being considered a done deal, so much so that public opinion surveys have not even been conducted in the constituency. Lee's election camp reportedly said they aim to draw 85 percent of local residents' ballots.
“It's like floating on a dark tumultuous sea,” a public relations official from Lim's election camp said. “But it's somebody's job to cultivate the land and sow the seeds for the future of the DPK. It's because of this belief that we cannot give up this race.”
Local residents' support for the PPP, which overshadows DPK candidates, can also be seen in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province, which are traditional conservative-friendly regions.
The PPP candidate for Busan mayor, Park Hyeong-jun, who is also the incumbent mayor, is looking to be reelected and currently enjoys a strong 60 percent support rating compared to just 30 percent for the DPK's Byun Seong-wan according to a Research View survey conducted from May 19-20.
The PPP candidate for the South Gyeongsang provincial governor's seat, Park Wan-soo, drew 48 percent of public support, while the DPK's Yang Moon-seok received 20 percent in a survey conducted by Korea Research on May 19-21.
Hong pledged to construct a new airport using the central government's budget in order to provide a convenient travel option for residents of Daegu and North Gyeongsang. With the airport attracting at least 30 percent of the volume of passengers and freight concentrated in the country's main Incheon International Airport, companies will flock to the city and create jobs, he believes.
Lee Chul-woo, the PPP's North Gyeongsang governor candidate, also proposed to build the new airport.
“Not only is it the most attractive deal for North Gyeongsang, but it was also the No.1 pledge for the province by President Yoon Suk-yeol when he was a presidential candidate,” Lee said. “He (President Yoon Suk-yeol) said he will keep his word and I will see to it that the pledge becomes a reality.”
The PPP's South Gyeongsang governor candidate, Park Wan-soo, pledged to establish a new government agency dedicated to overseeing corporate investments so that regulations on companies can be mitigated and companies can invest more in the region, which will lead to the creation of more jobs.
Busan mayoral candidate Park promised to relocate the headquarters of state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea to Busan as well as creating a city-run investment finance corporation to support the companies in the southern port city. He also pledged more support for start-ups, to tap into universities to train workers currently needed in the local economy, and help small- and medium-size companies by broadening the usage of the city's local currency “dongbakjeon.”