General Election Campaign Begins(Incheon=Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Junhee = Campaign workers for Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea and Won Hee-ryong of the People Power Party are greeting commuters at Gyeyang Station on the 28th. 2024.3.28
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With the general election just ten days away on the 31st, the ruling and opposition parties, as well as third-party groups, have begun vying for voters' support during the first official campaign weekend.
Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, visited the Seoul metropolitan area for four consecutive days since the official campaign began, launching an offensive by announcing a free childcare pledge.
On the morning of the day, Chairman Han pledged at Yeoneum Hall in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, "We will implement free childcare starting at age five next year and gradually expand it to ages three and four," adding, "We will expand tax deductions for arts and physical education academy fees and gradually make Neulbom School fully free."
Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman, Campaigning in Hanam (Hanam=Yonhap News) Reporter Han Jong-chan = Han Dong-hoon, Chairman of the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee and General Election Campaign Committee, appealed for support for candidate Lee Yong in Hanam City Gap and candidate Lee Chang-geun in Hanam City Eul in front of Wirye Starfield City in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province on March 31, 2024.
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He said, "For children attending daycare centers or public kindergartens, parents bear almost no burden, but for private kindergartens, parents in some cities and provinces have to pay up to 200,000 won per month," promising, "We will significantly reduce this additional burden." Specific low birthrate pledges include △reducing costs for early childhood education and childcare △expanding tax deduction targets for children's education expenses such as arts and physical education academy fees △alleviating childcare concerns for dual-income parents.
The party also appealed humbly to the public for support. Na Kyung-won, co-chair of the joint election committee, wrote on SNS, "People Power Party has been greatly lacking. Please allow us at least minimal strength," while Jo Hae-jin, candidate for Gimhae-eul, Gyeongnam, from the same party, demanded a public apology from President Yoon Suk-yeol for this general election. He appealed, "If this continues, it will be a total defeat for the people, and the Republic of Korea will collapse. But there is still a way to survive. President Yoon must kneel before the people."
Pressure on the ruling party was also intensified. At a campaign rally supporting Seongnam Bundang-gu, Chairman Han criticized Democratic Party candidate Yang Moon-seok over a loan controversy involving his daughter, saying, "It is indeed a fraudulent loan that harmed the people," and challenged Yang, "If you want to sue, sue me first." He emphasized, "Yang says, 'No one in our family caused harm, so it is not fraud,' but the people have suffered, and the small business owners who did not receive that money are the victims."
Election Campaigning by Representative Lee Jae-myung(Incheon=Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Jun-hee = Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea running for Incheon Gyeyang-eul, is campaigning with actor Lee Ki-young in front of Seoun-dong Catholic Church in Gyeyang-gu on March 31, 2024.
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Opposition: Crocodile Tears, Don't Be Fooled
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, visited his constituency in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon, to court votes. On Easter, Lee wrote on Facebook, "The season of resurrection where all things come to life and thrive again," adding, "I believe that with the power of the great sovereign, hope for a better tomorrow will be revived."
In a YouTube broadcast, Lee also accused the People Power Party, saying, "Crocodile tears, we must not be fooled this time." He said, "It seems the People Power Party and the government are now starting a full-fledged plea operation," adding, "There are even talks that they might suffer a crushing defeat, but it's all exaggeration."
He continued, "They will surely come out in groups, admit their mistakes, reflect, and bow deeply," adding, "But until now, they have repeatedly said they regret and admit mistakes but have never changed. It's another act of deceiving the public."
Lee said, "They seem to have no pride at all. They are truly frightening people who, without sincerity, deceive the public solely to gain votes in the election by any means," and criticized, "Even if corruption or other bad acts occur with the power given, that is bad, but directly deceiving the people openly is truly unforgivable."
Cho Kuk, the leader, visits Changwon to reaffirm determination(Changwon=Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Jun-young = On the 31st, Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, visited Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming April 10 general election and reaffirming his determination. 2024.3.31
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Jo Guk Innovation Party: "Han Dong-hoon, Prepare to Be Investigated"
Jo Guk, leader of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, raised the level of criticism against the ruling party. At an event titled 'Early End to Prosecutorial Dictatorship' held in front of Lotte Department Store Changwon Branch in Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam Province, Jo criticized Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, for his 'underdeveloped country' remark, saying, "Isn't there someone else who created this political underdevelopment?"
He added, "During the Moon Jae-in administration, we proudly called ourselves an advanced country when we woke up, but now we have woken up to find ourselves an underdeveloped country," and criticized Han, "Does the crown prince of the regime that made this have the right to say such things?"
Earlier, Han targeted Jo during a campaign rally in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, saying, "He is creating a party under his own name to deceive people," adding, "There are countries among underdeveloped nations where those in power can do anything to protect their family's crimes and suppress opponents. Isn't the Republic of Korea different?"
Jo fired back, "The Jo Guk Innovation Party has introduced the Han Dong-hoon Special Prosecutor Act as its first bill," and declared, "We will cooperate with the Democratic Party to ensure its passage, so Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman, should prepare to be investigated promptly."
Cheon Ha-ram, Chief Election Committee Chairman, and party leadership are campaigning in support of Jo Dong-woon, candidate for Daejeon Seo-gu Eul, on the 31st. (Photo by Gaehyeok Shindang)
Reform Innovation Party Criticizes People Power Party's Populism... Lee Jun-seok Targets Gong Young-woon
The Reform Innovation Party also criticized the People Power Party's free childcare pledge announced that day as populism. Jung In-seong, spokesperson for the Reform Innovation Party's election committee, said, "As the president promises tens or hundreds of trillions of won in budget bombs to each region, Chairman Han Dong-hoon and People Power Party local candidates are also recklessly making populist pledges."
He added, "With the election imminent, have President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chairman Han suddenly become Lee Jae-myung?" and criticized, "When asked about funding plans, they all say the Yoon Suk-yeol government will take care of everything," adding, "It's like a spoiled child planning to solve everything by getting allowance from their father."
Lee Jun-seok, Reform Innovation Party leader and candidate for Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province, raised suspicions that Gong Young-woon, Democratic Party candidate, whose daughter is reportedly employed at Hyundai Glovis, a Hyundai Motor Group affiliate.
Lee asked publicly on Facebook, "I ask Gong Young-woon openly. Multiple informants have reported that Gong's daughter is employed and currently working at Hyundai Glovis, a key affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, where Hyundai Motor and the owner hold 29.35% of the shares," adding, "I just want to confirm the facts first. Is it true that Gong's daughter is employed at Glovis, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group where her father is an executive?"
Chairman Oh Young-hwan Appeals for Support(Daejeon=Yonhap News) Oh Young-hwan, Chief Campaign Chairman of Saeroun Mirae, is appealing for support with candidate Park Young-soon at Ojeong Intersection in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon on the morning of the 28th. 2024.3.28 [Provided by Park Young-soon’s campaign. Redistribution and DB prohibited]
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New Future Demands Apology for Unfair Nominations in Politics; Green Justice Party Focuses Campaign in Mapo
Oh Young-hwan, General Election Committee Chair of the New Future Party, demanded apologies for unfair nomination allegations arising from the People Power Party, Democratic Party, and Jo Guk Innovation Party. Oh held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, stating, "The election has started, but there is no sign of policy and vision competition; instead, corruption among former officials, 'dad-chance,' illicit loans, abusive language, and double standards are rampant," and urged, "Jo Guk Innovation Party, Democratic Party, and People Power Party must immediately cancel unfair candidate nominations that are out of touch with the public's expectations."
Oh pointed out, "The husband of Park Eun-jung, number one proportional representative candidate of Jo Guk Innovation Party, lawyer Lee Jong-geun, received 2.2 billion won in fees for defending a multi-level marketing scam company," adding, "A prosecutor renowned for prosecuting multi-level marketing crimes took high fees defending multi-level marketing criminals immediately after retirement."
Kim Jun-woo, co-leader of the Green Justice Party, and Kim Chan-hwi, co-chair of the election committee, conducted a focused campaign on gender equality in Mapo, Seoul. Kim emphasized, "We will create a Gender Equality Department beyond the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family for a world without discrimination," and stressed, "We will judge the Yoon Suk-yeol government in the name of gender equality." He also said, "The Green Justice Party has been lacking in gender-equal politics," promising, "We will reflect and repent. We will not abandon the values and aspirations to expand human rights and create a world free from discrimination based on gender."
Appealing for Support, Sim Sang-jung of the Green Justice Party(Goyang=Yonhap News) Reporter Lim Byung-sik = Sim Sang-jung, floor leader of the Green Justice Party running in Goyang City Gap, Gyeonggi Province, appeals for support at the Green Justice Party’s general election kickoff rally held at Hwajeong Station Square in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of the 28th. 2024.3.28
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