Lee Jae-myung's Nationwide Tour on the Third Day After Acquittal...Simultaneously Addressing Livelihood and Security

Lee to Attend West Sea Defense Day Ceremony for the First Time on the 28th
Demonstrates Care for Wildfire Victims Following Acquittal
Effectively Launches Presidential Campaign After Easing Judicial Risks

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who has alleviated judicial risks with a second trial acquittal in a violation of the Public Official Election Act case, has been traveling nationwide for three consecutive days. Following visits to the wildfire-affected areas in Gyeongbuk and Yeongnam, he is attending the West Sea Defense Day commemorative ceremony, effectively demonstrating a presidential campaign by addressing both public livelihood and national security.

On the 28th, Lee will attend the 10th West Sea Defense Day commemorative ceremony for the first time. West Sea Defense Day is a statutory memorial day established in 2016 to honor sacrifices made for the defense of the West Sea, including the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, the Cheonan sinking, and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling. Last year, former floor leader Hong Ik-pyo attended the ceremony in place of Lee.

Yonhap News

The background to Lee’s attendance at the West Sea Defense Day ceremony, which he had not attended before, is analyzed as an effort to take control of the security agenda, previously considered a weakness of the party, ahead of an early presidential election. At the highest committee meeting held not in the National Assembly but in the Democratic Party’s Daejeon city party office, Lee delivered a strong message, stating, "The West Sea, protected by the blood and sweat of our soldiers, is suffering due to China’s illegal installation of structures in the West Sea," and "The Democratic Party will firmly defend against all territorial sovereignty violations and solidly protect the West Sea."

Lee’s nationwide activities have continued for three days since the acquittal verdict on the 26th. In particular, he has been visiting disaster victims affected by the wildfire to attend to public livelihood. Immediately after the verdict, Lee went down to Andong, visited Uiseong, Cheongsong, and Yeongyang in Gyeongbuk the day before, and on this day, he headed to the wildfire damage site in Sancheong, Gyeongnam.

At the highest committee meeting on this day, Lee said, "During the Moon Jae-in administration, there was an instance of emergency housing support for disaster victims," and added, "We will carefully examine what is most urgently needed and do our best so that the despairing citizens of Gyeongbuk’s cities and counties can find hope." The day before, Lee requested additional shelter (tent) support from local governments in the Honam region affiliated with the Democratic Party and instructed the party to check the inventory status of modular houses.

Meanwhile, at the wildfire damage site in Yeongyang the previous day, an incident occurred where a man waved his clothes toward Lee, and security personnel restrained him. However, since the man was identified as a disaster victim, Lee decided to show leniency toward him.