"Even If They Cause Trouble, They Must Be at the Center of Issues," Opposition Feels a Sense of Crisis

Mega Seoul, Challenging Candidacy, Short Selling... Ruling Party Raising Issues Daily

With about five months remaining until next year's general election, internal concerns have emerged that the Democratic Party of Korea is losing its political leadership after winning the by-election for the Gangseo District Mayor. The People Power Party has preempted all major election issues such as the 'Youngnam senior politician running in a difficult district' theory, 'Mega Seoul,' and 'ban on short selling,' causing the Democratic Party to be sidelined in public attention.

The People Power Party is emphasizing its image as a powerful ruling party by preempting various issues. They have expanded their plan from the 'Mega City Seoul,' which centers on incorporating Gimpo City into Seoul, to a 'three-axis mega city' extending their bases to Gwangju and Busan, and subsequently promoted a ban on short selling to prevent illegal short selling. Inyo Han, the Innovation Committee Chair of the People Power Party, is strongly pressuring senior party members and pro-Yoon (pro-President Yoon Suk-yeol) faction lawmakers not to run, promoting an image of innovation.

In response, the Democratic Party is countering with a regime judgment theory and pointing out the realism issues of the ruling party's policies. On the 7th, Kim Young-jin, the party representative and director of political coordination, explained in an interview with YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' that "With the dismissal of the arrest warrant for Representative Lee Jae-myung and the by-election for Gangseo District Mayor, a major political turning point has concluded, and now a big phase of preparing for the general election and the regular National Assembly budget session has opened." He added, "This is not a time for politics but a time to focus on people's livelihoods and the budget to create the future of the nation." Currently, the National Assembly is engaged in disputes over next year's budget review.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Jeong Cheong-rae, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, appeared on KBS Radio's 'Strong Current Affairs' and, when asked why the Democratic Party is not actively responding to the ruling party's policies such as the incorporation of Gimpo into Seoul and the ban on short selling, replied, "Even if we stay still, voices of opposition are erupting within the People Power Party, so the issues will not last long," and rather said that the People Power Party is trying to boost public sentiment without stimulating the economy.

However, there are internal criticisms that the Democratic Party should not only criticize the policies presented by the People Power Party but also propose new agendas. Lawmaker Cho Eung-cheon pointed out, "The opposition party's main election strategy is to first propose agendas, lead them, achieve results, and prove efficacy to the public," adding, "Right now, there is none of that."

On BBS Radio's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal,' Representative Cho said, "After the dismissal of the arrest warrant for Representative Lee Jae-myung and unexpectedly winning a landslide victory in the Seoul Gangseo re- and by-election, we have not done anything well and only relatively improved due to the opponent's mistakes," and warned, "There is no sense of urgency or fierceness for winning the general election, but rather an arrogance that seems cautious, like waiting under a persimmon tree with an open mouth expecting persimmons to fall, and it should not appear as if we are complacent with vested interests without dynamism."

Representative Woo Sang-ho also evaluated, "Even if mistakes are made, standing at the center of issues is a debate about the presence of a party before an election, but currently, the Democratic Party is not at the center of issues."

On the 6th, Representative Woo appeared on the YouTube channel 'Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory' and expressed concern, saying, "There is no need to create unfavorable issues, but at least when pulling out policy issues like Gimpo or short selling, the Democratic Party should not just respond passively," adding, "We are too overshadowed by issues. It is disadvantageous in the election."