Controversy Over 'Election Interference' Sparks as President Moon Visits Gadukdo, What Do You Think?

President Moon's Trip to Busan After One Year
Ruling Party: "Completely Unrelated to the April 7 By-Election"
Opposition: "President's Overt Election Intervention Constitutes Grounds for Impeachment"
Experts: "Action to Be Avoided Ahead of Election"

President Moon Jae-in is speaking at the 'Southeast Mega City Construction Strategy Report' held on the training ship of Korea Maritime and Ocean University located at the Busan New Port multipurpose pier on the 25th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] President Moon Jae-in's visit to Gadeokdo, Busan, a proposed site for the new airport, on the 25th?about 40 days before the Busan mayoral by-election?has sparked controversy. While the ruling party explained it as an on-site visit for regional development, the opposition strongly opposed it, labeling it as election interference with the upcoming April Busan mayoral by-election in mind.

Earlier, the ruling party's key initiative, the "Special Act for the Construction of Gadeokdo New Airport" (Gadeokdo Special Act), included a special provision exempting the preliminary feasibility study, drawing criticism as a "populist bill" aimed at the Busan mayoral by-election. In this context, President Moon's visit to the Gadeokdo new airport site has led to concerns that this massive national project, involving enormous budgets, has been reduced to a tool for winning votes in Busan.

Presidential visits to local areas before elections have been controversial in the past as well. Former President Park Geun-hye faced criticism from the Democratic Party for "election interference" after visiting Chungju, Chungbuk, and Jeonju, Jeonbuk?hotly contested areas between ruling and opposition parties?before the 2016 20th general election.

Former President Lee Myung-bak also faced strong opposition from the then-opposition United Democratic Party (now the Democratic Party of Korea) when he visited a New Town construction site in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, four days before the 18th general election in April 2008.

Experts pointed out that such presidential actions should be avoided as the election approaches.

On that day, President Moon started at Busan Bujeon Station and visited the nearby sea area of Gadeokdo, the expected site for the Southeast region new airport, and Busan New Port, receiving a briefing on the Southeast Mega City construction strategy. The event was attended by Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, floor leader Kim Tae-nyeon, Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Kwang-jae, Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Hong Nam-ki, and ministers Moon Sung-hyuk (Maritime Affairs and Fisheries), Jeon Hae-cheol (Interior and Safety), and Byun Chang-heum (Land, Infrastructure and Transport).

The Southeast Mega City project is a "regional development strategy" aimed at fostering mutual growth by establishing a shared living and economic zone for the 8 million residents of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam (PK region). Earlier, President Moon attended an investment agreement ceremony for an offshore wind power complex in Sinan-gun, Jeonnam, related to the regional balanced New Deal on the 5th.

President Moon also inspected the construction progress at the Gadeokdo new airport site, which the ruling party is promoting as a winning card for the April Busan mayoral by-election.

President Moon Jae-in attended the 'Southeast Mega City Construction Strategy Report' held in Busan on the 25th and received a report on the 'Southeast Mega City Vision,' including plans for an economic community such as the establishment of a Northeast Asia smart logistics platform, from Kim Kyung-soo, Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do, aboard the Busan New Port Hannara ship. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Moon has consistently shown his commitment to the construction of the Gadeokdo new airport. During the 2012 presidential election, he supported the Gadeokdo new airport, stating, "With the Southeast new airport, Busan should become a global hub encompassing land, sea, and air." Ahead of the 2016 general election, he emphasized, "If only five Democratic Party candidates are elected in Busan, the Gadeokdo new airport will begin construction within two years."

The issue lies in the timing of the visit to the Gadeokdo new airport. It was President Moon's first visit to Busan in a year and his first visit to the planned Gadeokdo new airport site since his election. Traveling with the ruling party leadership in Busan, some criticized the visit as a move to support the ruling party candidate ahead of the Busan mayoral by-election.

The opposition also condemned President Moon's actions as "election interference," arguing that his visit to Busan was ultimately a strategy to win votes in Busan.

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at an emergency committee meeting at the National Assembly that day, "He is rolling up his sleeves and aggressively engaging in election activities," adding, "He has launched an election campaign to support the Democratic Party through the Gadeokdo new airport and the Southeast Mega City." He continued, "The Blue House may claim this is a Korean New Deal field visit unrelated to the election, but anyone can see this is an excessive presidential election interference."

Joo also demanded, "Stop the clear illegal election interference at the regime level," and argued, "The president's blatant election interference that undermines election order is grounds for impeachment."

The Justice Party also criticized President Moon's visit to Gadeokdo, calling the new airport a "campaign airport" and a "vote-buying airport." Jung Ho-jin, chief spokesperson for the Justice Party, said in a briefing, "President Moon's sudden visit to Busan supports the ruling party's one-sided push to force the bill through," adding, "For the government born from the Candlelight Revolution to have the president step in to finalize the Gadeokdo new airport special law, which resembles the Lee Myung-bak administration's Four Major Rivers Project, is something that should not be done."

President Moon Jae-in attended the 'Southeast Mega City Construction Strategy Report' held in Busan on the 25th and conducted an onboard inspection of the planned site for Gadeokdo Airport. [Image source=Yonhap News]

However, the Democratic Party responded to such criticism by asserting that the visit was "unrelated to the election." Shin Young-dae, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, explained in a written briefing that "President Moon has been continuing his Korean New Deal efforts since last year to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and revive economic vitality. This Busan visit is the eleventh on-site schedule and a policy agenda to review the regional balanced New Deal policy," adding, "It was planned long ago and is completely unrelated to the upcoming election."

Experts pointed out that such presidential actions should be avoided as the election approaches. Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon said, "President Moon's visit to Busan is a move conscious of the upcoming April by-election and the next presidential election," adding, "Such actions by the president so close to an election are actually unusual and undesirable."

He continued, "It can be seen that the ruling party's situation is not easy. The fact that even the president had to step in indicates that the situation is unfavorable, so in a way, it can be seen as a drastic measure."