Carrying on the Spirit of May 18...
"Gwangju Is Like My Mother"
"I Will Develop Honam as a Hub for Renewable Energy"
Kim Yongnam, Former People Power Party Member: "Lee Jae Myung Will Realize Kim Dae Jung's Dream"
On the afternoon of the 17th, in the plaza in front of the Kim Daejung Convention Center in Gwangju, Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung took the stage as citizens waved placards and cheered. Placards reading "I want to live in a country led by President Lee Jae Myung" stood out throughout the crowd, and many citizens took out their phones to record the candidate's speech.
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung is raising both arms to appeal for support at a focused campaign rally in front of the Kim Dae Jung Convention Center in Gwangju on the 17th. Photo by Song Bohyun
Before beginning his campaign remarks, Lee referenced the fire at the Kumho Tire Gwangju plant, stating, "There was discussion about whether we should stop the campaign, but since this area is not directly affected, we are proceeding with caution." He added, "I sincerely hope the fire is quickly extinguished and that there is no further damage."
In his speech, he said, "Politics exists for the lives of the people. Even if we take power, we have no time to dig up others' pasts. We are not such petty or mean-spirited people." He continued, "Politics must exist for the people, and it should never become a tool for eliminating political opponents or for political retaliation."
Lee confessed that, as a factory worker in May 1980, he misunderstood Gwangju due to distorted media reports. He said, "At that time, I believed the stories that Gwangju had started a riot. In hindsight, I too was deceived by false reports and became a secondary perpetrator." He continued, "But once I learned the truth, the direction of my life changed. For me, Gwangju is like a social mother who gave me a new life."
On the afternoon of the 17th, citizens gathered in front of the Kim Daejung Convention Center in Gwangju to watch the concentrated campaign speech of Lee Jae Myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Song Bohyun
Regarding the relationship between the Democratic Party and the Honam region, Lee said, "Honam is like a mother to the Democratic Party. When her child does wrong, she scolds him, sometimes even casts him out, but in the end, she embraces him again." He added, "It is not blind support; the power to correct the Democratic Party comes from Honam."
During the campaign, there was a surprise moment when former lawmaker Kim Yongnam, who is from the People Power Party, took the stage to officially declare his support for Lee Jae Myung. Kim, a former prosecutor, served as a member of the 19th National Assembly and was a senior spokesperson in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's campaign.
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jaemyung is shaking hands with former lawmaker Kim Yongnam at a campaign rally in Gwangju on the 17th. Screenshot from Lee Jaemyung's YouTube channel
Kim stated, "I now support candidate Lee Jae Myung," and added, "He is the one who can realize the vision for financial authorities that former President Kim Dae Jung dreamed of." Kim recalled meeting President Kim Dae Jung in 2001 and emphasized, "Lee Jae Myung is the person who can transform the Korean market, which was rife with unfair practices and tricks, into a fair and trustworthy market."
Lee also presented regional pledges. He said, "I will make Honam the center of the renewable energy industry and pursue balanced development policies to prevent overconcentration in the capital area." He also addressed the financial imbalance among national universities, stating, "The per capita budget at Seoul National University is 50 million won, while at Chonnam National University it is about 22 million won. I will ensure that regional universities receive proper support."
Regarding the relocation of the Gwangju military airport, he explained, "It's not just about building apartments and shopping centers; we need to establish a foundation for life, such as businesses, research facilities, and educational institutions." He added, "I will create conditions that everyone can accept and come up with a reasonable relocation plan."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
