Promotion of Bill to Strengthen Honors for 5·18 Merit Recipients
Kim Jong-in's Visit to Gurye, Jeonnam 'Public Sentiment Tour'
People Power Party's Honam Support Rate at 16.3%
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The People Power Party is vigorously pursuing an unstoppable 'westward advance (Seojin)' policy by visiting Honam before and after the Chuseok holiday. The party plans to not only push for legislation to strengthen the treatment of May 18 Democratic Movement veterans but also secure budgets for Honam. Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, embracing Honam is also having a positive impact on the actual local public sentiment.
Jeong Un-cheon, the chairman of the People Power Party's National Integration Committee, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 29th, "The Gwangju accompanying lawmakers will go down right after Chuseok on the 6th of next month to hold a meeting with May 18 organizations," adding, "Around the end of October, members of the Budget and Accounts Committee will go directly to the field to gather opinions and find support items (budgets)." Gwangju is the second electoral district for People Power Party lawmakers Yoon Young-seok, Jang Je-won, Lee Chae-ik, Yoon Jae-ok, Ha Tae-kyung, Kim Eun-hye, Kim Yong-pan, and Kim Ye-ji. Since many senior lawmakers with three or more terms are concentrated there, it is expected that discussions on legislation and budgets will be strengthened.
Chairman Kim visited Gurye, Jeollanam-do the day before to check the flood damage recovery status and listen to local public sentiment. After touring the Gurye 5-day market, which suffered from flood damage, Kim said, "When I visited last month, it was very chaotic and embarrassing to see," adding, "But today, it looks somewhat stable externally, so that's a relief." He continued, "Merchandise that was submerged cannot receive any compensation, so merchants are struggling," urging the government for active support. Chairman Kim bought fruits, corn, and handmade tofu while walking through the market. A merchant at one store said, "Thank you for visiting the market twice," and gave a fist salute.
The People Power Party considers resolving the regional and age group bias of its support base as the top priority to win next year's local and by-elections and the 2022 presidential election. On the 23rd, the party held a launch ceremony for the Honam Accompanying Lawmakers and declared a movement to acquire a second electoral district. At this event, Chairman Kim said, "I hope this will be an opportunity for national unity beyond chronic regionalism and regional conflicts," emphasizing, "It is important to not give up and to approach persistently even under difficult conditions." Earlier, Chairman Kim was the first conservative party leader to kneel and apologize in front of the May 18 National Cemetery. Additionally, when heavy rains caused flood damage, the People Power Party rushed to the Seomjin River area ahead of the ruling party to volunteer for flood recovery efforts.
There are signs of change in the Honam public sentiment, which had been cold toward the People Power Party. The support rate, which was in single digits immediately after the last general election, is showing an upward trend. According to a survey conducted by Realmeter commissioned by tbs from the 21st to the 25th among 2,511 voters aged 18 and over nationwide (response rate 4.7%, sampling error ±2.0 percentage points at 95% confidence level), the People Power Party's support rate in Honam rose by 4.3 percentage points from the previous week to 16.3%. For more details, refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.
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