A group of rank-and-file Democratic Party of Korea members and ordinary citizens calling themselves the "Cheongcheong Yurangdan" — a grassroots campaign caravan — has mobilized in support of party leader candidate Jung Chung-rae.
The group held a launch press conference Wednesday, declaring a 24-night, 25-day tour of all 27 cities, districts and counties across South Jeolla Province and Gwangju, running through Aug. 15.
The caravan plans to visit traditional markets and five-day rotating markets to hear from people on the ground, and to hold roundtable discussions with youth, workers, farmers and small-business owners on responses to regional depopulation and livelihood economic conditions.
The group also plans to hold open debates among party members on strengthening member sovereignty and the development direction of a proposed integrated special city combining South Jeolla Province and Gwangju, and to deliver policy proposals gathered in the field directly to Jung.
Jung Dal-seong, the caravan's leader, said the tour is "not an event led by a politician, but a grand march of public sentiment in which citizens and party members are the protagonists themselves," adding that the group would "travel across all of South Jeolla and Gwangju to listen to the voices of the people."
sij@heraldcorp.com
