Former President Moon Holds Unique Position in PK Within Democratic Party
Intent to Rally Against Current Government's Failures
Difficult to Refuse Support Requests from Former Government Officials
Former President Moon Jae-in has entered the election campaign, focusing on the so-called PK area, including Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam. Moon's active approach, visiting constituencies where candidates are running while dressed in a blue hiking jacket, is much more proactive compared to the indirect support method of having a meal or tea with party candidates who visit his residence. This has drawn extraordinary attention from the political circles regarding the background and implications. While it is a great boost for the Democratic Party candidates, the People Power Party has opposed it, calling it an "unprecedented and unprecedented event."
Recently, former President Moon visited Yangsan in Gyeongnam, Sasang in Busan, and Ulsan to meet citizens. He has been carrying out his visits by greeting candidates or walking the streets with citizens. Moon himself described these series of actions as "quiet support." However, he also criticized the current government, saying, "In my seventy years of life, I have never seen a government perform this poorly," and called it "truly ignorant, incompetent, and shameless." Having stayed in Yangsan, Gyeongnam after his retirement, his all-out involvement in the Nakdong River Belt area, considered the biggest battleground in this election, has stirred local public sentiment.
Why did former President Moon enter the election campaign?
In political circles, it is first pointed out that Moon holds an irreplaceable position among Democratic Party supporters in the PK region. The formula for the Democratic Party's election victory has been possible when they performed well in the metropolitan area as well as in PK. It is interpreted as an intention to unite the scattered "anti-Lee Jae-myung" supporters. Except for former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, who is studying abroad in the UK, there are no presidential-level politicians from the Democratic Party in PK. Choi Byung-chun, director of the New Growth Economy Research Institute, said, "The fact that the Democratic Party has been able to produce winners in PK is the result of the life sacrifices of former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in," adding, "'Quiet support' should be seen as an extension of this."
There is also analysis that it was difficult for Moon to refuse requests from figures who participated in the previous administration. However, political commentator Park Sang-byeong said, "Not all candidates ask former presidents to help in the election campaign," and analyzed the reason by saying, "Although Moon lost power, he was a president who maintained relatively high public approval ratings until his retirement."
As confirmed in his remarks, Moon also has significant concerns about the current government. At the "5th Anniversary Commemoration of the September 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration," his first official visit to Seoul after retirement, Moon expressed, "It is deeply regrettable and distressing to think about the broken state of inter-Korean relations." He has also indirectly expressed his concerns about current issues through social media. In particular, he conveyed worries about difficulties faced by figures who participated in the previous government, such as being subject to investigations, audits, or trials. Recently, there have been speculations that the prosecution and police might be targeting former President Moon. Earlier, Moon's daughter, Moon Da-hye, posted on social media, saying, "My father and our family will once again become targets."
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