Political parties officially kick off election campaigns

Banners showing pictures of Lee Nak-yon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, top, and Hwang Kyo-ahn of the main opposition United Future Party hang in a street in Seoul's Jongno District, Thursday, the first day of the official 13-day election campaign period designated by the National Election Commission. The political heavyweights are leading the liberal and conservative camps, respectively in the April 15 general election. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han

By Jung Da-min

The political parties officially kicked off their campaigns for the April 15 general election Thursday, the first day of the 13-day campaigning period designated by the National Election Commission.

Although the campaigns have been restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parties are trying to increase their contact with voters as much as possible such as by using slogans to appeal to them.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is trying to turn favorable public opinion toward President Moon Jae-in over his handling of the pandemic into support for the ruling party. Its election slogan “Workers against COVID-19” reflects the party's attempt to convince voters that it can produce policies to overcome the coronavirus outbreak and reinvigorate the economy.

The main opposition United Future Party (UFP), on the other hand, is calling for the people to “judge the Moon government,” saying current economic policies need a fundamental change in order to overcome the “real” crisis overshadowed by COVID-19.

The two major parties kicked off their campaigns at midnight. Lee Nak-yon, head of the DPK's election campaign committee, visited a market in Seoul's Jongro District constituency, where he is running as a candidate against UFP Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn. Hwang held a ceremony in Gwanghwamun Square to launch his party's campaign.

“Overcoming the national crisis amid the coronavirus situation is the DPK's official election goal,” Lee said.

Close advisors to President Moon, Yang Jung-chul, head of the DPK's Institute for Democracy think tank and Im Jong-seok, a former presidential chief of staff, also joined the campaign to help the party's candidates in the capital. The two visited the headquarters of Ko Min-jung, a former presidential spokeswoman who is running in Seoul's Gwangjin-B district against conservative heavyweight Oh Se-hoon, a former mayor of Seoul.

Assisting in the campaign against the DPK is co-head of the UFP election committee ― alongside Hwang ― Kim Chong-in, a veteran economist and politician well known for his career as a “king maker.” He helped both President Moon and former President Park Geun-hye get elected.

Members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and its satellite party, Civil Together, attend a joint ceremony to launch their campaigns for the April 15 general election at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday, the first day of the official campaigning period designated by the National Election Commission. The placard at the back reads, “We protect people,” as the ruling bloc emphasizes that it can work better with the government in the national fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Yonhap

“The April 15 general election is a time for the people to judge the three years of maladministration by the Moon Jae-in government,” Hwang said. “I ask the people to gather support for the main opposition, if they feel their three-year experience under the Moon government is not right.”

Kim visited Seoul's Dongdaemun to meet merchants there and ask them to “judge” the Moon government on its “poor” economic policies. He was accompanied by the leader of the UFP satellite Future Korea Party, Rep. Won Yoo-chul, a five-term lawmaker and “former member” of the main opposition party.

The DPK also staged joint campaigns with its Civil Together satellite party, a minor party created by pro-Moon civic groups and several minor parties. Both the ruling DPK and the UFP created satellite parties earlier this year to try and win more proportional representation seats under the new electoral system designed to boost representation for minor parties.

Meanwhile, other smaller parties, including the liberal Justice Party and the centrist Minsaeng Party have also kicked off their campaigns. The former said its slogan was “Stick with Principles” which highlights the foul play by the two major parties in creating the satellite parties; while the latter vowed to work on policies to boost the people's livelihoods.