Lee Jun-seok "Lee, Politicizing Satire... Should Conduct Rational Election Campaign"
Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, is making a gesture of drawing his hand across his neck at a campaign site on the 23rd. / Photo by Online Community Capture
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, criticized the campaign of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate running in the Incheon Gyeyang-eul by-election. In response, Kim Nam-guk, a Democratic Party lawmaker, pointed out, "Explain the allegations of sexual bribery and the suspicion of instructing evidence destruction."
Earlier on the 23rd, Lee Jae-myung made a gesture at a campaign event by drawing his hand across his neck, saying, "If I lose this time, my political life is over." After the video of this moment spread on online communities, Lee Jun-seok criticized on his Facebook, saying, "Trivializing politics by talking about one's political life is an irrational act."
He added, "I hope for a rational election campaign," and "This election should be about choosing someone who will develop Gyeyang from the perspective of Gyeyang residents."
In response, Kim Nam-guk, who was present at Lee Jae-myung's campaign event, said, "I don't know if someone who is subject to disciplinary action for sexual bribery and is the originator of 'political profanity' has the right to talk about trivializing politics."
He continued, "Lee Jae-myung is campaigning with a desperate heart," and "The video was taken on the night of the 23rd after attending the memorial for former President Roh Moo-hyun. He arrived around 9 p.m., did not even have dinner, and campaigned."
Kim said, "(Lee Jae-myung) met with residents continuously without resting even for a minute in the car, going past midnight," adding, "It is truly regrettable to see forced disputes even when he is trying to communicate comfortably with local residents."
He continued, "I hope that as party leader, he would advise Yoon Hyung-sun (People Power Party candidate) to stop his 'fly-by-night commuting politics,'" raising his voice, "I have never seen such a careless politician in a local constituency."
Meanwhile, according to a poll released on the 21st by the polling agency STI, Lee Jae-myung's support rate was 45.8%, and Yoon's support rate was 49.5%. The poll surveyed 880 residents aged 18 and over living in the Gyeyang-eul electoral district from the 19th to 20th, with a support rate gap of 3.7 percentage points, which is within the margin of error (±3.3% at a 95% confidence level).
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