Yoon Cabinet and Ruling Party to Gather in Gwangju on the 18th... Focused Offensive on Opposition's Stronghold

Visit to 5·18 Democratic Cemetery
Gathering in Gwangju on the 18th
Ahead of the Election

President Yoon Suk-yeol is leaving the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 16th, together with Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, and Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader, after delivering a policy speech requesting the swift passage of a supplementary budget bill to compensate small business owners and self-employed individuals affected by COVID-19. 2022.5.16 Photo by Presidential Office Press Photographers Group [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] President Yoon Seok-yeol, along with cabinet ministers and all members of the People Power Party, will visit the National May 18th Democratic Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Gwangju, on the 18th. This move is being seen as the official launch of a forward policy aimed at intensively targeting the opposition party's stronghold ahead of the June 1 local elections.

A senior official of the People Power Party said on the 16th, "All party members will visit the democratic cemetery," adding, "I understand that President Yoon has instructed ministers and senior Blue House officials to attend as well."

According to political circles, it is unprecedented for all members of the People Power Party to travel to Gwangju together. Previously, Kim Jong-in, former emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, visited the May 18th cemetery in Gwangju to lay flowers at the memorial tower and knelt down. Last year, Lee Jun-seok, the party leader, also visited Gwangju as his first local schedule after taking office. However, this is the first time that all members will attend.

Prior to this, the People Power Party will hold a policy meeting with organizations related to the May 18th Democratic Movement in the afternoon. It is also the first time that a conservative party has directly invited these organizations for a meeting. The meeting will be attended by Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, and Sung Il-jong, chairman of the policy committee, among others. A party official said, "This is an opportunity to hear directly from the organizations before visiting Gwangju," adding, "We plan to listen carefully to the policies requested by these organizations." After paying respects at the cemetery, Lee Jun-seok plans to hold a meeting of the Jeonnam and Jeonbuk election committees and greet citizens on the streets. A representative from the party leader's office said, "This is not just about briefly showing up on the anniversary, but about sincerely paying attention to Honam from the beginning to the end of the administration."

Although this visit to Gwangju reflects the intention of regional integration efforts, it also appears to be mindful of the local elections approaching on the 16th. The party believes that such actions will influence not only Honam but also the fiercely contested metropolitan local governments along the West Coast, including Gyeonggi-do, Incheon, and Chungnam. Eom Kyung-young, director of the Era Spirit Research Institute, predicted, "Rather than focusing solely on Honam, this will resonate persuasively with the metropolitan area and moderate voters."