Park Yong-jin and Kang Hoon-sik Criticizing Lee Jae-myung... "Belittling Low-Income Groups" "Self-Nomination" (Comprehensive)

Lee Jae-myung "An Innovative and Integrative Party"
Park Yong-jin "A Winning Democratic Party"
Kang Hoon-sik "A Young Governing Party"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The candidates Lee Jae-myung, Park Yong-jin, and Kang Hoon-sik, who are running for the Democratic Party of Korea's party leader election, engaged in fierce exchanges from the very first debate. Candidates Park and Kang launched attacks on Lee, while Lee defended himself and expressed his determination to lead the party with strong leadership.

◆ Blaming Others and Factionalism... Focus on 'Attacking the Front-runner' = In the main debate, Candidate Park criticized Lee's remark that "it is an unfortunate reality that many supporters of the People Power Party come from low-education and low-income groups, but this is due to the media environment," saying, "If we follow a path of blaming others for failures and defeats without innovation, we will never win again," and added, "Isn't this disparaging low-education and low-income groups and blaming them for their faults?"

Candidate Lee responded, "Since words have context, I hope you consider the overall intent," and explained, "It means it is regrettable that people support a party that cuts corporate taxes for large companies and reduces budgets for jobs for ordinary people." He added, "I hope this is not exaggerated excessively and that there is no misunderstanding."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Candidate Park continued his offensive by raising the controversy over Lee's 'self-nomination' in the Incheon Gyeyang by-election for the National Assembly. Referring to Park Ji-hyun, the co-chair of the emergency committee, who claimed that "Candidate Lee requested the nomination for Incheon Gyeyang," Park asked, "Have you ever called former Chairwoman Park?" and then criticized, "I am afraid of factionalism." In response, Lee said, "It is true that various opinions were exchanged, but since I did not paralyze the party system or exercise that authority entirely, calling it a self-nomination is inappropriate."

Candidate Kang, when asked by Candidate Park to evaluate Lee's remark about "creating an online platform in the party to criticize members you want to scold," said, "It is inappropriate," and added, "True democracy is possible only through communication based on respect."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Three Candidates, Three Different Democratic Party Visions = Candidate Lee stated, "For the people to have a better life, politics and the Democratic Party must stand upright," and pledged, "I will build a Democratic Party that has a clear future vision, is competent, strong, innovative, and unifying."

On the other hand, Candidate Park raised the issue of Lee's responsibility for the presidential and local election defeats. Park said, "If elected in Gwangju, I will build a winning Democratic Party that can also win in tough areas like Busan, Daegu, and Gangwon," and added, "I will create a party that wins by reflecting public sentiment, common sense, inclusiveness, and social solidarity."

Candidate Kang criticized the tension between the two candidates simultaneously and emphasized the importance of new leadership. He said, "There is a fear that if one becomes a leading candidate, the party might split, and if one strongly opposes the leading candidate, it might break the Democratic Party's important value assets," and stressed, "The solution is to reorganize and create a young ruling party."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ United Criticism of the Yoon Administration = Candidate Lee described the current administration as an "incompetent, irresponsible, and powerless 'three-no (無) administration,'" and said, "We will cooperate where necessary, but if they do things they should not, we will strongly check them and fulfill the opposition party's role and the people's will in the National Assembly."

Candidate Park said, "Within two months of the term starting, this administration has become an 'unstable administration,' and due to privatization of power, President Yoon has become a 'worrying president,'" and added, "At times like this, the Democratic Party as the main opposition must show skillful politics."

Candidate Kang stated, "The ruling party has effectively given up on state affairs due to internal power struggles," and said, "If it is for the people's livelihood, I will cooperate with the government and ruling party in any way, but if mismanagement continues, we must push back fiercely."