[Report] Strange Atmosphere in Yeonggwang County Governor By-election... "Honam is for the Democratic Party" vs "Another Party for Development"

On the 26th, Yeonggwang Terminal Market in Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do, was quite bustling, perhaps because it was market day. People gathered in small groups before lunch, chatting as they prepared for business. At a pesticide store, two elderly men were having a conversation. When the reporter entered the store, their talk abruptly stopped. The man who appeared to be the owner started working, while the other man stared into space. When cautiously asked about the Yeonggwang-gun mayoral by-election scheduled for the 16th of next month, the owner, Mr. Lee Girae (68, male), waved his hand dismissively. "Hey there, reporter, you don’t really know much about local politics, do you?" He said that in this field, you can find out everything with just one connection. He was cautious, saying that the by-election involves complex interests and one must be careful with words.

"In the countryside, if you go to one gathering, you find friends of one candidate; if you go to another, friends of a different candidate. When it’s this close, how can I add my words? That’s not right!"

On the 26th, people are shopping at Yeonggwang Terminal Market in Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do.
Photo by Gong Byung-sun mydillon@

As of the 26th, candidates for the Yeonggwang-gun mayoral by-election include Jang Se-il, former Jeonnam Provincial Assembly member from the Democratic Party; Jang Hyun from the Party for National Innovation, former professor at Honam University; Lee Seok-ha, regional chairman of the Progressive Party in Yeonggwang-gun; and independent candidate Oh Gi-won, president of the Nanyeon Association. According to a public opinion poll conducted by Innotek Systems on behalf of News&TV from the 19th to 20th, surveying 809 men and women aged 18 and over, candidate Jang Se-il received 39.3% support, Jang Hyun 32.7%, and Lee Seok-ha 15.1%. (For detailed information, refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.) The contest between Democratic Party candidate Jang Se-il and Party for National Innovation candidate Jang Hyun is particularly noteworthy.

There was a subtle emotion beneath the surface. Until early this month, candidate Jang Hyun was a member of the Democratic Party. However, he left the party during the primary process and joined the Party for National Innovation.

Changing Trends After Lee Jae-myung’s Visit... "We Must Support the Democratic Party"

On the 23rd afternoon, Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is greeting merchants at Yeonggwang Terminal Market in Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Because of this, some residents of Yeonggwang-gun called candidate Jang Hyun a "traitor." They said he made this town, unaccustomed to competition, tired. Ms. Lee (female, 67), who has been selling sundae gukbap (Korean blood sausage soup) near Yeonggwang Terminal Market for 20 years, took something out of a drawer when asked about Jang Hyun. It was a photo of Jang Hyun wearing a Democratic Party jumper. "Until recently, he wore the Democratic Party’s colors and said he would do well. But suddenly, he appeared wearing the Party for National Innovation’s badge. Does he think we forgot the Democratic Party business cards he handed out?"

Some said the atmosphere changed after Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party leader, visited Yeonggwang-gun. On the 23rd, Lee held the party’s supreme council meeting in Yeonggwang-gun and visited Yeonggwang Terminal Market. In a YouTube live broadcast, he said, "If the by-election results come out a bit strangely, the entire leadership system of the Democratic Party could face a crisis," expanding the significance of this election to the presidential election.

Residents of Yeonggwang-gun also worried that candidate Jang Se-il’s defeat might lead to Lee’s loss in the presidential election. Mr. Park Seong-gyun (57, male), who sells clothes at Yeonggwang Terminal Market, said, "Still, Honam is Democratic Party," adding, "People here like it when Lee comes. Even if the price is the same, shouldn’t we support the Democratic Party?" Others who said they support the Democratic Party mentioned Lee Jae-myung rather than Jang Se-il. The by-election had already become a preliminary battle for the presidential election.

"Scoundrel-like guys"... Showing resentment toward the 'stagnant' Democratic Party

Cho Kuk, leader of the National Innovation Party, is having a conversation with the Yeonggwang Veterans Laundry Volunteer Group at a cafe in Yeonggwang-eup, Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do on the 19th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

"What Democratic Party? Those guys are complete scoundrels." Mr. Kim (71, male), met at Gulbigol Yeonggwang Market, only four minutes by car from Yeonggwang Terminal Market, expressed strong resentment toward the Democratic Party, even using profanity. Gulbigol Yeonggwang Market was a place Lee did not visit on the 23rd. Mr. Kim was angry that the Democratic Party only took votes but did nothing for the development of Yeonggwang-gun. He then recited history from 24 years ago, mentioning former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon, who served as a member of the National Assembly from Yeonggwang-gun from 2000 to 2014. "Lee Nak-yeon did it for over 10 years. The Democratic Party continued after that, but nothing has developed. Do you think I wouldn’t curse?"

The Party for National Innovation is exploiting such dissatisfaction that the Democratic Party only takes votes in Honam without delivering results. On the 21st, Party for National Innovation leader Jo Guk said at the opening ceremony of Jang Hyun’s campaign office, "We must end the practice of voting for a specific party unconditionally." A representative from Jang Hyun’s campaign also said, "With the two-party competition, the choices for local residents have expanded," adding, "There is resentment at the grassroots level not so much against the Democratic Party itself but against those who ride on the Democratic Party’s backing and act arrogantly."

Annual payment pledges of 1 million and 1.2 million won... "What meaning does it have with only 1.5 years left?"

The election offices of Jang Se-il, candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Jang Hyun, candidate of the People's Innovation Party, face each other across Okdang-ro in Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do.
Photo by Gong Byung-seon mydillon@

Nevertheless, the two candidates have an ambiguous relationship that prevents them from fighting fiercely. The region is very small. Reflecting this, the campaign offices of the two candidates face each other across Okdang-ro in Yeonggwang-gun. They often see each other at similar restaurants. A representative from Jang Se-il’s camp said, "We will see each other after the election, so how can we fight to the death? This is how elections in small places are." Perhaps for this reason, their pledges are similar. Candidate Jang Se-il promised to pay 1 million won annually per resident, while candidate Jang Hyun promised 1.2 million won.

"It’s meaningless." Mr. Lee Girae showed a pessimistic attitude toward this by-election. He knows that the moment the central government cuts the budget, the candidates’ pledges will be nullified. "Do you know how much debt our country has? Taking young people’s salaries to give to the elderly is wrong. With only a year and a half left in the term, what meaning does it have?" He sighed deeply. According to Statistics Korea, as of May this year, Yeonggwang-gun’s fiscal independence rate was 11.7%, ranking 163rd out of 229 basic local governments.