Ahead of the General Election, Lee Hampered by 'Daejang-dong Trial'
Im Jong-seok Focuses on 'Nakdong River'... Park Yong-jin Supports Difficult Districts
With the general election just 8 days away, the leader of the main opposition party was absent due to attending a trial. This is about Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. Although this situation could be somewhat burdensome for the Democratic Party, key figures who had conflicts during the nomination process are filling the gap.
On the morning of the 2nd at around 8:45 AM, Lee Jae-myung turned on a YouTube live broadcast to remotely support Nam Byeong-geun, the candidate for Gyeonggi Dongducheon-si, Yangju-si, and Yeoncheon-gun. Lee recalled a remark made by Kim Seong-won, the People Power Party candidate competing against Nam, who said at a 2022 flood recovery site, "I hope it rains a bit so the photos come out well," and criticized, "Our candidate was told to withdraw based on something said a long time ago, while (Kim Seong-won, who made such remarks as a public official) should have been dismissed. This is a matter that deserved dismissal."
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
On the same day, Lee attended a trial at the Seoul Central District Court related to charges of breach of trust and bribery in the Daejang-dong, Baekhyeon-dong, and Seongnam FC cases. On the second day of official election campaigning on the 29th of last month, he also appeared in court and protested, calling it "the result targeted by the political prosecution of a prosecutorial dictatorship." He expressed dissatisfaction after being warned by the court with a 'compulsory summons' for his absence citing the election schedule. Another hearing is scheduled for the 9th, one day before the general election.
Lee is filling the gap with a 'surprise support rally' via YouTube. He defines his absence due to court appearances as a "political prosecution's ploy" and is trying to overcome judicial risks by standing firm against media criticism. In the broadcast that day, he said, "Because the media environment is unfavorable, we should create communication channels among ourselves as much as possible."
In particular, during the nomination process, the so-called 'Pro-Lee Jae-myung fortune, anti-Lee Jae-myung misfortune' factional conflicts saw anti-Lee figures who opposed Lee one by one starting support rallies, filling the void left by Lee. Former Blue House Chief of Staff Lim Jong-seok is staying in the party's critical 'Nakdong River Belt' area to support campaigning. In the afternoon, he plans to assist candidates in the Changwon area of Gyeongsangnam-do. On the first day of official campaigning on the 28th of last month, he supported candidate Jeon Hyun-hee in Seoul Jung-gu Seongdong-gu Gap, where he had been excluded, and met Lee Jae-myung at the campaign site, embracing him to show a 'one team' image.
Park Yong-jin, considered a symbol of the anti-Lee faction, mainly visits campaign sites of candidates running in difficult districts to bolster the 'regime judgment theory.' On the 31st of last month, he visited Seoul's Songpa and Seocho districts. He is reported to plan to visit Daegu and Gyeongbuk (TK) regions, considered weak areas until the end of the election, to appeal for support for the Democratic Party.
Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, who had criticized the leadership during the nomination process, is also traveling nationwide as a standing co-chair of the election committee. During a support rally for Kim Young-bae, candidate for Seoul Seongbuk-gu Gap, the day before, he likened the Yoon Seok-youl government to a "cow's head," criticizing, "Small merchants and self-employed people are devastated, but they are unnecessarily cutting taxes for the rich." He plans to visit Gangwon, Chungbuk, Daegu, and Gyeongbuk on the same day.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the continuation of the first trial for violation of the Public Official Election Act held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 8th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
Within the party, the participation of figures classified as anti-Lee in the campaign is seen as a result of prioritizing the greater cause of the 'regime judgment theory.' There is also an expectation that this 'one team' image will positively influence the party's rising approval ratings despite the party leader's absence.
However, there is also a possibility that conflicts may reignite after the general election. This is because former Chief of Staff Lim and Representative Park are not officially joining the party's election committee for official campaigning but are individually 'serving quietly.' Former Chief of Staff Lim stated on MBC Radio the day before that when asked if he had had direct or indirect conversations with Lee Jae-myung, "No." He also said he was unaware in advance that Lee would appear at the campaign site in Seoul Jung-gu Seongdong-gu Gap, adding, "I will do my best until the last moment of the election and then consider the political role I should take on afterward."
Meanwhile, former President Moon Jae-in has also begun full-scale election support, saying, "I think this is the first government in my seventy years of life that has performed so poorly." After supporting candidates in Yangsan-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Sasang-gu, Busan the day before, he plans to tour the Ulsan area throughout the day to strengthen the 'Nakdong River Belt.'
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