Lee Jae-myung: "Let's Revitalize 'Local Currency' in Geumjeong-gu, Busan"

Meeting in Busan Ahead of October 16 By-Election
Lee: "Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Transformed into the Nation's Top City"
Lee Jaeseong: "Unification with Joguk Innovation Party Under Discussion"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "Let's start providing a small amount of youth basic income in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, and distribute local currency."

On the morning of the 25th, the Democratic Party held an on-site Supreme Council meeting at the election office of Kim Kyung-ji, the Democratic Party candidate for Busan Geumjeong-gu mayor. The party leadership is actively participating in the upcoming by-election for the Busan Geumjeong-gu mayor on October 16. On that day, Lee said, "It would be good to start the exemplary local policies that the Democratic Party has implemented in Geumjeong-gu as well," adding, "It would be beneficial to revitalize local currency." He continued, "In the future, the basic life of the people should be the responsibility of the national community, moving toward a 'basic society,'" and said, "We will attempt such a future society in Geumjeong-gu."

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung and other Democratic Party leaders are applauding as candidate Kim Kyung-ji, who is running for the Busan Geumjeong District Office by-election, is introduced at the on-site Supreme Council meeting held at Kim's campaign office on the 25th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the upcoming by-elections, Lee said, "This can be considered a preliminary battle before the local elections," and added, "We plan to set an example in the elections in Busan Geumjeong-gu, Incheon Ganghwa-gun, and Jeonnam Yeonggwang-gun and Gokseong-gun," praising the candidates as "very excellent." Furthermore, he emphasized, "Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province was known for corruption and incompetence during the tenure of a People Power Party mayor in the past," and said, "(The Democratic Party) transformed it into the best city nationwide within a few years. Geumjeong-gu will become like that too."

The Busan Geumjeong-gu mayoral election features candidates from the People Power Party, the Democratic Party, and the Innovation Party for the Fatherland. As the area is considered a stronghold of conservative forces, attention is focused on whether the Democratic Party and Innovation Party candidates will unify. In this regard, Lee Jae-sung, chairman of the Democratic Party Busan City Committee, said, "It is natural to discuss which candidate is better for candidate unification between parties," and "We reaffirm the existing agreement to delegate the unification issue to the central party." However, he also expressed caution, stating, "We deeply regret the rude irregularities committed by the secretary-general of the Innovation Party for the Fatherland."

Secretary-General Hwang Hyun-sun, who had referred to the Democratic Party as the "People Power Party of Honam" on Facebook the previous day, revised the statement to "the hegemonic party and vested interest party of Honam" after the Democratic Party protested, expressing "deep regret."