Ruling and opposition parties mobilize base voters in last-day blitz
With Wednesday's local elections one day away, the ruling and opposition party leaderships launched an all-out final campaign blitz Tuesday, betting that last-minute turnout among their respective bases will decide the outcome in key battleground races.
Jung Chung-rae, the Democratic Party of Korea's overall standing election campaign committee chairman, visited the Arirang Market in Jeongseon-gun and surrounding areas in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province, to stump for Gangwon gubernatorial candidate Woo Sang-ho, Jeongseon-gun mayoral candidate Choi Seung-jun and Yeongwol-gun mayoral candidate Park Seon-gyu.
He then headed to the National Assembly in Yeouido for a final public appeal press conference ahead of voting day, before moving to Yongin in Gyeonggi Province to campaign for Gyeonggi gubernatorial candidate Choo Mi-ae and Yongin mayoral candidate Hyeon Geun-taek.
Jung wrapped up the day with a closing rally at Cheonggyecheon Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul, at 8 p.m., appearing alongside Seoul mayoral candidate Jeong Won-o to appeal for support.
Han Byung-do, co-standing campaign committee chairman, focused his efforts on North Jeolla Province, touring the region to support the party's gubernatorial candidate Lee Won-taek.
Jang Dong-hyeok, the People Power Party's standing campaign committee chairman, concentrated his final push on South Chungcheong and Gyeonggi provinces. He made stops in Cheongyang, Gongju and Dangjin in South Chungcheong Province before moving to Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province, then returned to Cheonan in South Chungcheong Province for a closing rally at around 8:30 p.m.
Song Eon-seog, the PPP's co-campaign committee chairman, was scheduled to tour Busan and South Gyeongsang Province to make a final appeal for support.
The Democratic Party centered its message on the need to back President Lee Jae Myung, while the PPP called on voters to deliver a verdict against what it described as the arrogance of the Lee Jae Myung administration.
At a field central election strategy committee meeting in Cheonan on Monday, Jung said the election was "one that gives strength to President Lee," urging voters to "cast your ballot for No. 1, the Democratic Party that President Lee belongs to, if you want to empower him."
Speaking in Jeju on Monday, Jang said voters "must deliver a stern judgment on June 3 against the arrogance of the Lee Jae Myung government and the Democratic Party, to protect the precious lives of our people and the Republic of Korea," calling the local elections "an election to judge the arrogance of Lee Jae Myung and the Democratic Party."
Meanwhile, Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party and a candidate in the by-election for the Pyeongtaek-eul National Assembly seat in Gyeonggi Province, wrote on his Facebook page Tuesday that "a decisive victory for me, Cho Kuk, is what builds the sturdy bridge connecting the solidarity and unity of the pan-democratic camp," adding that "only an overwhelming show of support can allow the politics of solidarity and unity to prevail over factional and interest-driven politics."
Cho appealed for strong backing, saying the scale of change in Korean politics would depend on how much support citizens rally behind him. He described himself and his supporters as "comrades sharing the same dream," writing: "Even after the election, we are rivers flowing together toward the sea of 'a successful Lee Jae Myung government.' Just as water cannot be divided, our resolve is one."
bigroot@heraldcorp.com
