Ruling Party Leadership Candidates Target TK Stronghold Voters... "Completing Regime Change Requires Election Victory"

Na Kyung-won, Kwon Seong-dong, Ahn Cheol-soo, Yoon Sang-hyun
Attend Daegu·Gyeongbuk New Year Greeting Ceremony

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] On the 2nd, the leading candidates expected to run for the next party leader election of the People Power Party appealed for support by promising a 'complete regime change' through victory in the general election, meeting with the party’s core support base, Daegu·Gyeongbuk (TK) party members.

At the Daegu·Gyeongbuk New Year Greeting held at the People Power Party Daegu City Party Office that afternoon, party leadership and leading party candidates including Representatives Kwon Seong-dong, Ahn Cheol-soo, Yoon Sang-hyun, and Na Kyung-won, Vice Chairperson of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee, attended.

These candidates, who are considered strong contenders inside and outside the party, took the stage one after another and shouted for 'victory in the general election.' Vice Chairperson Na said, "Although the presidential election is over, it is not finished, and although regime change has occurred, it is not complete," adding, "Victory in next year’s general election will complete the regime change." She continued, "For the success of the Yoon Seok-yeol government, the party and government must be united as one, and absolute harmony within the party is essential."

Representative Ahn Cheol-soo also mentioned, "The presidential election is not over yet," and emphasized that "we must become the first party in next year’s general election to complete the presidential victory and regime change."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

With the party convention rules set to 100% party member voting, the party candidates emphasized their ties with the TK region, where responsible party members are concentrated, appealing to party sentiment. Representative Kwon Seong-dong said, "The current issue in Daegu Gyeongbuk is building a new airport, which Floor Leader Joo Ho-young proposed and I co-proposed during my time as floor leader," adding, "My in-laws are also from Gumi, so I am TK enough."

Vice Chairperson Na said, "I wondered why I share the same thoughts as Daegu and Gyeongbuk party members, and I realized I am a native TK. When my mother was pregnant with me, my father was working at Daegu Airport."

At this event, Representative Yoon Sang-hyun reiterated his proposal for a 'joint declaration of party leader candidates running in the metropolitan area.' He said, "I take pride that my mother’s hometown is TK, the conservative heartland, but when we fight, does the heart fight? No, the hands, arms, and legs fight," adding, "The metropolitan area plays that role."

Representative Ahn said, "In the last general election, the party shrank due to defeat in the metropolitan area," and added, "This time, we must definitely win in the metropolitan area, and I am running with that determination." On the same day, Ahn expressed agreement with Representative Yoon’s position on running in the metropolitan area through Facebook.

Regarding this, Representative Kim Ki-hyun appeared on SBS’s News Briefing hosted by Ju Young-jin and criticized, "Just as we did whatever it took to win the presidential election, we must do whatever it takes to win the general election. Talking about winning or losing the general election over small issues like running in the metropolitan area is a trivial matter."

Representative Kim, who announced his intention to run for party leadership last month, was unable to attend the New Year Greeting due to a scheduled broadcast.

Earlier in the morning, they attended the '2023 New Year Meeting' hosted by the Presidential Office at the Blue House State Guest House to rally 'Yoon’s support.'

Meanwhile, according to a poll conducted by Newsis in cooperation with the public opinion research firms Kukmin Research Group and Ace Research from the 27th to 29th among 1,002 men and women nationwide aged 18 and over, and announced on the 1st, Vice Chairperson Na Kyung-won ranked first with 30.8% in suitability for party leader among People Power Party supporters. She was followed by Representative Ahn Cheol-soo with 20.3%, Representative Kim Ki-hyun with 15.2%, Floor Leader Joo Ho-young with 8.1%, and former Representative Yoo Seung-min with 6.9%.