Joint Campaign Rally for Capital Region, Gangwon, and Jeju Primaries
Lee: "I will stand on the side of the people, not any particular side"
Kim Dongyeon: "I will do my utmost for the success of the fourth Democratic government"
Kim Kyungsoo: "A 170-seat supermajority, not a source of fear but of hope"
On April 27, at the joint campaign rally for the capital region, Gangwon, and Jeju held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Democratic Party presidential primary candidates Lee Jaemyung, former party leader, Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, and Kim Kyungsoo, former Governor of South Gyeongsang Province, all appealed to party members for support and unanimously called for a sweeping Democratic Party victory to achieve a change in government in the June 3 presidential election.
Lee, who was the first to deliver his policy address at the joint rally, said, "I will stand on the side of the people, not on any particular side. I will only value competence, regardless of ideology or region." Lee declared, "I will succeed Kim Daejung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Moon Jae-in to establish the fourth Democratic government," and emphasized, "For Lee Jaemyung, public office is not a seat for enjoying honor or power."
He continued, "For me, it is simply a position of authority and responsibility to work for the people as their servant," stressing, "The only standards for the Lee Jaemyung administration will be the people, their livelihoods, and the Republic of Korea." Lee added, "What Korea needs now is a competent captain and a prepared president who can take charge immediately. I, Lee Jaemyung, have turned crises into opportunities and have overcome adversity to stand here today. If you give me the chance, together with one million public servants, I will show you a completely new Korea, the real Korea."
He stated, "It is time to unite beyond our differences and devote ourselves to recovery, growth, integration, and the happiness of the people. Korea, where we live and our descendants will live forever, stands at a crossroads: will we miss this opportunity and fall behind, or seize it and soar? I will pave a new path where none exists and lead the world."
Regarding the Jeju 4·3 Incident, he said, "For perpetrators of state violence crimes, we must abolish the statute of limitations so they can be prosecuted at any time as long as they live, and also abolish the civil statute of limitations so that their descendants can be held accountable within the scope of inherited property," adding, "Even if it is late, we must uncover the truth and ensure appropriate accountability so that no one can ever dream of committing crimes of state violence again."
Lee also said, "Gyeonggi Province, which nurtured the politician Lee Jaemyung; Gangwon Province, which made special sacrifices for national security?both have long suffered from the threat of war and regulatory restrictions as border regions, but now must become the center of inter-Korean peace and economic cooperation. I promise to provide special compensation to the residents of northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon who have endured special sacrifices."
He continued, "Incheon is a historic city that opened the door to modernization and accepted everything, embodying the spirit of Haebulyangsu ('the sea does not reject any water, and just as the sea embraces all waters, it embraces all people without exclusion'). I will make Incheon, the root of Korea’s modernization and economic development, a hub for international logistics and transportation, turning it into a driving force for growth and recovery. Seoul, a metropolitan city that competes for top global rankings, will develop into a leading international city, both economically and culturally."
Kim Dongyeon: "Let’s unite even more for an overwhelming change of government"
Kim, the second to deliver his policy address, said, "From today, let us unite even more as true Democrats. No matter who becomes the presidential candidate, let’s gather our strength for an overwhelming change of government."
Kim stated, "I am confident of an overwhelming change of government," and added, "I will do everything in my power to ensure the success of the fourth Democratic government." He also noted, "Once the fog of rebellion and the presidential election lifts, we will face an even deeper economic crisis," emphasizing, "Making people’s lives better is the most Democratic Party-like value."
Kim remarked, "The tears of President Kim Daejung as he overcame the foreign exchange crisis, the call for national unity by President Roh Moo-hyun, and the struggle of President Moon Jae-in against the pandemic are all part of the proud history of the Democratic Party," and pledged, "I will fight and win against the current economic crisis."
He said, "Now, let us unite even more as true Democrats. With that strength, let us bring together the energy of the people." He earnestly appealed, "Let us deepen and expand democracy within the Democratic Party itself."
Kim added, "Let us part ways with the divisive and exclusionary language such as 'pro-Lee,' 'anti-Lee,' or 'watermelon.' We are all one under the name of the Democratic Party."
Kim Kyungsoo: "170-seat supermajority, not a source of fear but of hope"
At the joint campaign rally, Kim Kyungsoo, former governor, highlighted his top pledge: the 'Mega City Republic.'
He stated, "My number one pledge is the establishment of five major regional mega-city autonomous governments," and explained, "We must completely change Korea’s growth model and redesign our national territory." He continued, "The capital region, which has been Korea’s only growth axis, is losing competitiveness day by day due to concentration and overcrowding. Isn’t it time to let Seoul and the capital region breathe?"
He emphasized, "The five regional mega-cities are about changing the basic framework of national governance. This cannot be achieved by the central government alone; local regions must be able to determine their own destinies." Kim identified budget and authority as the main obstacles to realizing mega-cities. He said, "We must guarantee at least 30 trillion won in annual discretionary budgets for each regional mega-city," adding, "Both candidates here today (Lee Jaemyung and Kim Dongyeon) agree with this path."
He also pledged to introduce a national basic living guarantee system. Kim stated, "No one should have to prove their poverty to qualify for basic living assistance," and added, "We must ensure that the more people work, the more income they can earn."
He said, "At the very least, no Korean family should be driven to extreme choices because of poverty," and questioned, "How much longer must we witness our elderly, the heroes of industrialization, collecting waste paper on the streets?"
Kim characterized the Democratic Party’s primary as a "dignified contest," unlike that of the People Power Party. He said, "Elsewhere in Korea, there are primaries filled with negativity and personal attacks. We must be different from them."
He continued, "In this primary, we saw the possibility. I ask all party members, the true owners of the Democratic Party, to confirm that we are different from them." He further asserted, "For an overwhelming victory in the presidential election and the success of the fourth Democratic government, we must govern together with the democratic forces. Let us make the Democratic Party president and our 170-seat supermajority not a source of fear, but of hope and expectation."
Kim concluded by emphasizing that all presidential primary candidates are "one team," and said, "Let us achieve an overwhelming change of government, centered on the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate to be chosen today."
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