[Busan, Yangsan (Gyeongnam), Jinhae (Gyeongnam) = Asia Economy, Jeon Jinyoung reporter] “Including the new airport issue, the Democratic Party will solve the pending issues and wishes that Busan is facing. We kindly ask the citizens to elect not those who fight, but those who work.” One week before the general election, the Democratic Party leadership began efforts to capture the Busan vote. On the 8th, Lee Nak-yeon, the Democratic Party’s election committee chairman, visited Busan, promising to resolve local issues and supporting candidates running in Busan.
Chairman Lee started his support campaign at Namhang Market in Jung-gu and Yeongdo (candidate Kim Bi-o). He then visited Jin-gu Gap (candidate Kim Young-chun), Jin-gu Eul (candidate Ryu Young-jin), and Sasang (candidate Bae Jae-jung) consecutively. At Namhang Market, he visited restaurants and shops, appealing for support by saying, “Please let our candidate Kim Bi-o work. He will work with me.”
Chairman Lee held a joint campaign rally at Seomyeon Station with candidates Kim Young-chun, Ryu Young-jin, Kang Jun-seok, and Park Sung-hyun. About candidate Kim Young-chun, he said, “He is a leader essential not only for Busan but also for the future of the Republic of Korea.” Regarding candidate Ryu Young-jin, he said, “As a medical expert, he is the person demanded by this era.” About candidate Kang Jun-seok (Nam-gu Gap), he said, “As a marine and fisheries expert, he is a necessary candidate for Busan, the marine and fisheries capital.” About candidate Park Sung-hyun (Dongnae), he said, “He is a person who has learned politics properly,” mentioning each candidate’s strengths one by one. Afterwards, Chairman Lee traveled by subway from Seomyeon Station to Jurye Station on Busan Subway Line 2, greeting citizens directly.
The response to Chairman Lee’s visit was even more enthusiastic in Sasang-gu, Busan, where President Moon Jae-in once ran for the National Assembly. Candidate Bae Jae-jung, who served as Chief of Staff when Chairman Lee was Prime Minister, is running here. Local residents cheered and applauded while chanting the names of Chairman Lee and candidate Bae. Some young people even brought baseballs to get Chairman Lee’s autograph. Chairman Lee said, “Thanks to Chief of Staff Bae Jae-jung, I was able to complete my term as Prime Minister without major mistakes. I think it was good to have Chief Bae with me,” revealing their special relationship. He added, “I also promise to unconditionally listen to whatever Comrade Bae asks of me.”
At the joint campaign rally in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, he said, “Yangsan already faces the challenges of a large city. To create a greater Yangsan, leaders with broad perspectives like Lee Jae-young (Yangsan Gap) and Kim Doo-kwan (Yangsan Eul) are needed.” About candidate Kim Doo-kwan, he said, “He has experience managing national affairs and has broad experience handling all kinds of issues in a large city like Seoul,” adding, “Now, Yangsan’s leader must have a national perspective. A big Yangsan needs a great figure.” Regarding candidate Lee Jae-young, he emphasized his expertise by saying, “He is a person who studied the global economy while traveling between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia.” He added, “For Yangsan to develop into a greater Yangsan, your perspective must not remain only domestic.”
Afterwards, Chairman Lee moved to Jinhae to support the campaign of candidate Hwang Ki-cheol and other Democratic Party candidates in Changwon. He emphasized Hwang’s background as a former Chief of Naval Operations, saying, “To develop the new port of Jinhae and renew Jinhae through the sea, a person who knows the sea from Jinhae is needed.” He continued, “Many local cities worry about decline and constantly think about revival and leap forward. At such a time, electing Hwang Ki-cheol as the person to work is the most important thing you can do now for Jinhae’s future and for future generations.”
In every campaign rally, Chairman Lee consistently emphasized the public’s ability to cope with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). He said, “Our people neither hoard toilet paper nor buy guns to catch the virus.” He also mentioned the government and party’s support measures such as loans for self-employed and small business owners and the export of diagnostic kits. Furthermore, he targeted the opposition party, the United Future Party, saying, “Do not elect people who are fully prepared to fight, but those who are ready to work.” He stressed, “Now is not the time to fight. Fighting is done when things are comfortable. When urgent, work must come first.”
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