Democratic Party bans campaign songs, choreography; orders all candidates to suspend rallies

People Power Party urges candidates to avoid conduct 'contrary to public common sense'

Jung Chung-rae, chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea's central election campaign committee, reviews documents at a committee meeting held at the campaign office of Democratic Party South Chungcheong Province gubernatorial candidate Park Soo-hyun in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on Monday. [Yonhap]
Jung Chung-rae, chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea's central election campaign committee, reviews documents at a committee meeting held at the campaign office of Democratic Party South Chungcheong Province gubernatorial candidate Park Soo-hyun in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on Monday. [Yonhap]

Political parties shifted to subdued campaigning Monday after an explosion struck the Hanwha Aerospace factory in Daejeon, two days before the June 3 local elections and National Assembly by-elections. President Lee Jae Myung ordered an all-out response to the accident and directed authorities to prepare measures to prevent a recurrence.

Immediately after the accident, Lee ordered officials to "mobilize all available resources for rescue operations and accident response," Cheong Wa Dae chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said.

The president also instructed authorities to "thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and establish measures to prevent it from happening again."

With the June 3 elections two days away, political parties focused on responding to the accident, refraining from campaign songs and choreography and maintaining a somber atmosphere.

Jung Chung-rae, chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea's central election campaign committee, issued an emergency order suspending all campaign activities nationwide. The party said Jung directed all Democratic Party candidates and campaign offices across the country to halt rallies immediately and ban the use of campaign songs and choreography.

Jung learned of the accident while visiting Goesan in North Chungcheong Province to support local candidates. He said he would "do his utmost to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure this never happens again," adding that "protecting the lives and safety of the people is the foremost duty of politics and the state."

Jung had been scheduled to visit Andong in North Gyeongsang Province and Ulsan after Goesan.

Democratic Party chief spokesperson Kang Jun-hyeon called public safety "the top priority above all else" and urged police and fire authorities to devote their full efforts to rescue operations and extinguishing the fire. He added that the party "will do everything it can to secure the lives and safety of the people, ensure the smooth handling of the accident, and determine the facts."

People Power Party election committee chairman Jang Dong-hyeok walks with party members at Dongmun Traditional Market in Jeju on Monday morning. [Jang Dong-hyeok]
People Power Party election committee chairman Jang Dong-hyeok walks with party members at Dongmun Traditional Market in Jeju on Monday morning. [Jang Dong-hyeok]

The People Power Party also moved to keep its campaign activities quiet.

PPP election committee chairman Jang Dong-hyeok issued an emergency directive ordering all PPP candidates and campaign offices nationwide to refrain from using campaign songs and choreography and to conduct their activities in a calm manner.

Jang was campaigning in Jeju when he heard of the accident and canceled all remaining scheduled events for the day.

In a Facebook post, Jang offered condolences to the families of those killed in the blast and wished a swift recovery to the injured. He called on the government to spare no effort in managing the aftermath and supporting victims and their families, and said the PPP "will not hold back any support that is needed."

PPP co-election committee chairman Song Eon-seog urged fire authorities to make minimizing casualties their top priority and asked candidates and campaign offices in the Daejeon area to stay fully informed of conditions at the scene.

Song also strongly urged "all local election candidates and campaign committees at every level across the country to come together in concern for minimizing casualties" and warned them to "be extremely mindful of any conduct contrary to public common sense."

Emergency services received a call around 11 a.m. reporting an explosion at the Hanwha Aerospace factory in Oesamdong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, with multiple casualties reported.


bigroot@heraldcorp.com
sang@heraldcorp.com