Conservative ex-presidents hit campaign trail

Former President Lee Myung-bak shakes hands with supporters at Seoul Forest in Seoul, Monday, as the conservative People Power Party's candidates ramped up their efforts ahead of the June 3 local elections. Newsis

Former President and former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak stepped back into his old legacy he built in the capital, Monday, standing at the edge of Seoul Forest as he urged voters to choose “mayors and district chiefs who get things done, not those who only talk and play politics.” Surrounded by conservative hopefuls, Lee framed the park, along with Cheonggye Stream, as proof that leadership willing to push through opposition can transform a city.

“I hope we Seoul residents will elect mayors and district chiefs who get things done,” he said. “There was a lot of political opposition when we developed Cheonggye Stream and when we planned the dedicated bus lanes, but once they were actually built, they became good spaces that all Seoul citizens use very conveniently.”

Former President Park Geun-hye visits Seomun Market in Daegu, Monday, with the conservative People Power Party's mayoral candidate Choo Kyung-ho. Newsis

The previous day, the final weekend of the official election campaign period ahead of the June 3 vote, impeached former President Park Geun-hye visited Seomun Market in Daegu, alongside the People Power Party’s (PPP) mayoral candidate, Choo Kyung-ho. As she moved through the crowds, shaking hands with visitors, she called on voters to support the candidate.

“I believe that, this time, the person who truly can revive Daegu’s economy should become mayor … I’m convinced Choo Kyung-ho is the right person to bring its economy back to life,” Park told the crowd, shaking hands with voters and asking for their “overwhelming support.”

Experts say the PPP’s reliance on its former leaders reflects both its current weaknesses and a calculated bet that Lee and Park can still energize conservative voters, although it remains unclear how far that effect will reach.

“I think it could be effective to some extent. The two former presidents are now practically going around playing the role of a campaign leadership team. The effect, put simply, is that they can reduce the symbolic weight of (former President) Yoon Suk Yeol,” Kim Sung-soo, a political science professor at Hanyang University, said.

“For those disappointed with the PPP who say, ‘We don’t like the pro-Yoon faction, we just can’t back Yoon,’ (Lee and Park's) appearance can help bring back shy conservatives and some centrist voters who had turned away because of Yoon.”

Experts also pointed to the unpopularity of PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok as another reason the former presidents are being brought to the fore, noting that even Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has not appeared with Jang once during his reelection campaign.

“Within the party, there’s a shared feeling that Jang won’t help on the stump and might even drag the ticket down,” political analyst Lee Jong-hoon said. “PPP candidates seem desperate enough to grab at any straw and they appear to have concluded that Lee and Park are still safer choices than the current party leader.”

Former President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook pose as they cast their early ballots in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, Friday. Yonhap

By contrast, liberal former President Moon Jae-in has chosen to stay largely offstage. He has confined himself to carefully worded social media posts, with no joint appearances with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s candidates. Experts say that restraint is not accidental.

“I don’t think the campaign has any real reason to ask him to come out,” said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University. “The last time he became more visible in a national race, the result for his camp was bad. There’s a learning effect there. If he goes out and they lose again, he’ll only be blamed as the man who ruined another election.”

Analysts also point to Moon’s complicated position within the liberal camp. His presidency remains strongly associated with a painful surge in housing prices, which could be a burden in an election where living costs and home ownership are key concerns.

“If Moon appears in a race dominated by housing and the economy, voters will immediately be reminded of those grievances,” Kim Sung-soo said. “Conservative candidates would love to tie that directly to the (current) Lee Jae Myung administration’s liberal agenda.”