Starting from Mapo, Touring the Hot Battlefields of the Hangang Belt
Then Supporting the Tough Areas of Gangbuk, Nowon, Namyangju, and Uijeongbu
"Please Join Forces to Judge Criminals Through the Election"
"Meet the people and explain to them to vote looking only at the people."
Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and General Election Campaign Chairman of the People Power Party, held a campaign rally in the competitive Hangang Belt area starting from Mapo, Seoul, on the first official day of election campaigning on the 28th. He plans to finish campaigning in Namyangju and Uijeongbu, challenging districts of the ruling party, after moving up to Gangbuk, a stronghold of the opposition party.
Handonghun, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and General Election Campaign Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is appealing for support together with candidates Oh Shinhwan and Kim Byungmin at Sinseong Market in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul on the 28th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@
On that day, Chairman Han appealed for support at the Mangwon Station area in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, saying, "The April 10 general election will be the most important election in the history of the Republic of Korea since the 1987 presidential election." He said, "This election will decide whether Korea advances or regresses, prospers or declines, becomes fair or falls under the rule of criminals," and added, "We have entered this election with the determination to reform politics, reform livelihoods, and judge criminals," urging people to unite their strength.
Chairman Han brought up the pledge of "complete relocation of the National Assembly," announced the previous day in Mapo, adjacent to Yeouido, saying, "We have come here to resolve regulations related to reconstruction and all unreasonable regulations that interfere with your lives," and added, "We need to change the National Assembly Act, so the People Power Party must win in the National Assembly for this to be possible."
Han's "Dog-like Politics" Remark Under Fire
At a campaign rally in Sinchon, Seodaemun-gu, Chairman Han said, "Politics is very important. It can change your lives," but also said, "The problem is people who do politics like dogs," which is expected to cause controversy. He further emphasized, "If you vote looking only at the people labeled as 'the people,' the world will change and criminals will retreat," and "We must remove criminals from this important politics." This is interpreted as meaning that the problem lies not with the political system but with politicians, implying that leaders such as Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and Cho Guk of the Innovation Party should be judged.
After Chairman Han's remarks, Kim Min-seok, head of the Democratic Party's comprehensive situation room, requested calm, saying, "We hope candidates refrain from overreacting to Chairman Han's profanity." This appears to be an effort to prevent the response to the remarks from causing further controversy.
On the 28th, when the official election campaign for the April 10 general election began, People Power Party campaigners appealed for support at Sinseong Market in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
Earlier, on the 27th, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, visited Muhak Market in Chungju, Chungbuk, and caused controversy by saying, "In the case of Assemblywoman Bae Hyun-jin being hit by a stone, a police line was set up, scientific investigation was conducted, and evidence was collected with a big fuss, but when the ruling party leader’s neck was stabbed with a knife and bleeding, the bloodstain was cleaned with water in less than an hour."
"Demand to Reduce VAT on Processed Foods from 10% to 5%"
Chairman Han moved to Hoegi Station in Dongdaemun-gu and announced measures to control prices. This is interpreted as emphasizing that the party is for the people's livelihood.
Chairman Han said, "We strongly demanded the government temporarily reduce the value-added tax from 10% to 5%?half reduction?on processed foods such as childbirth and childcare products, ramen, instant rice, canned foods, and staple ingredients like sugar and flour, which are closely related to the lives of ordinary people," adding, "If necessary, we will also push for legal amendments."
He added, "To stabilize prices of agricultural and livestock products, we demanded the government take more active measures, such as holding large-scale agricultural and livestock product fairs using gift certificates and cashback systems," and said, "I understand the government is preparing positive measures as well."
Chairman Han will campaign in opposition party strongholds in Seoul, including Gangbuk-gu, Nowon-gu, and Dobong-gu, before moving to Namyangju and Uijeongbu in Gyeonggi Province. The People Power Party plans to continue appealing for support across Seoul and Gyeonggi the following day.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
