Lee Jun-seok, 20 Visits to Honam Since Inauguration... Focused on Expanding Outreach

Gwangju Visited a Total of 12 Times... People Power Party Official: "Most Visits to a Single City"
Attended the 42nd Anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising Ceremony on the 18th

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, is attending a meeting with residents of Sinan County at the Youth Center in Amhae-eup, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, on the morning of February 3. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] Since his inauguration in June last year, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, has officially visited Gwangju a total of 12 times. Expanding the area to Honam, the total number of visits reaches 20. It is interpreted that he has been making efforts to expand the People Power Party’s outreach by heading to Honam once or twice a month.

According to the People Power Party on the 18th, Lee visited Gwangju a total of 12 times from June 14 last year to this day. In terms of days, it amounts to 14 days. When expanding the visit area to Honam, the total rises to 20 visits (25 days). A People Power Party official explained, "Among single cities, Gwangju is the most frequently visited."

Lee’s trips to Honam began on the first day of his official schedule after inauguration, June 14 last year. He went straight from the National Daejeon National Cemetery to the joint memorial altar for the victims of the collapse accident at the demolition site in Gwangju. This was regarded as a "radical move" for a conservative party leader. Four days later, on June 18, he visited Gunsan, Jeonju, and Saemangeum to support the party’s "Westward Advancement (Seojin) Policy."

Since then, Lee has focused on "winning the hearts of Honam residents." On February 1 this year, he climbed Mudeungsan in Gwangju for the Lunar New Year sunrise, emphasizing the "breaking of regionalism," and on February 22, he held the "Joint Response Meeting for Attracting a Large-scale Shopping Mall with the People Power Party" with the Gwangju Citizens’ Association for Attracting a Large-scale Shopping Mall. On March 4, he visited Gwangju to cast his early vote for the 20th presidential election. Besides these, he toured the Honam and Dadohae regions, advocating for "national unity" and "development of Jeonnam."

Lee’s efforts have also shown results. President Yoon Suk-yeol recorded the highest vote share among conservative party candidates in Honam history. The vote shares were 12.72% in Gwangju, 14.42% in Jeonbuk, and 11.44% in Jeonnam.

On this day as well, Lee attended the 42nd anniversary memorial ceremony of the May 18 Democratic Movement with President Yoon and People Power Party lawmakers. Through his Facebook, Lee stated, "I hope the government and ruling party’s first step to commemorate the May 18 Democratic Movement becomes a symbolic act of national unity," adding, "This step must continue going forward."

He continued, "Regardless of who is president or party leader, sincere dialogue with history must be maintained," and added, "I will always ensure that our party’s efforts regarding May 18, which began with the 5th Republic hearings under the Roh Tae-woo administration and the May 18 Special Act under the Kim Young-sam administration, never regress."

When asked by reporters about his feelings on singing the "March for the Beloved" at the ceremony, Lee said, "The change we chose today, which should have naturally happened but was delayed, I hope it becomes an irreversible change that never returns to the past." It was an unusual scene for a conservative regime to sing the "March for the Beloved" in a solo singing (jechang) format rather than a chorus.

Lee also said, "At least since my leadership began, we have been trying hard not to use ideological disputes as weapons for political strife within the conservative party," and added, "Now, we will stand proudly to compete with the Democratic Party on issues of regional jobs and industrial development in Gwangju and Honam, overcoming past mistakes as we did in the last presidential election."

Lee’s stance has been praised as "genuine." Eom Kyung-young, head of the Era Spirit Research Institute, analyzed, "At this level, it should be seen as a genuine attitude. Gwangju can be viewed as a symbol and heart of democracy and peace, and visiting there has the effect of seeking moderate expansion nationwide." Park Sang-byeong, professor at Inha University Graduate School of Policy, said, "It means that Lee himself wants to expand and develop what former emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in started in embracing Honam," adding, "It can be seen as part of national unity."