Quarterly "Communication with the People" Sessions
At Least Bi-Monthly Meetings with Ruling and Opposition Leaders
Kim Moonsoo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, stated on May 29, "I will end the era of 'disconnection,' 'incompetence,' and 'dictatorship,' and open an era of a 'communicative' president." He pledged to hold quarterly 'communication sessions with the people' and to meet with the leadership of both the ruling and opposition parties at least once every two months. He also promised to hold a 'Media Day' once a week.
People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo is campaigning at Yeongcheon Station Square in Gyeongbuk on the 28th. Photo by Yonhap News
On the first day of early voting for the 21st presidential election, Kim issued a statement saying, "In times of national difficulty, the most important virtue for a president is communication."
Kim emphasized, "Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, maintained public morale and defended the nation from the terror of Hitler and the Nazis through constant communication with the people. Likewise, President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States comforted the public and revived the economy and the nation during the Great Depression and wartime chaos by communicating closely with the people through his 'Fireside Chats.'
He continued, "Among past presidents of our country, there have been cases where a lack of communication and incompetence led to governmental confusion and a loss of public trust. However, what is even more frightening and dangerous than disconnection or incompetence is dictatorship. This is because a dictator deceives the public with false agitation, oppresses the opposition through political retaliation, and rules by fear," he pointed out.
Kim stated, "I will go beyond the formal 'dialogues with the people' that previous presidents have held, and institutionalize genuine 'communication with the people' on a quarterly basis. I will open a wide range of communication channels so that the public can approach comfortably in various ways."
He added, "I will do my utmost to engage in active and sincere dialogue with the opposition party. I will meet with the leaders and floor leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties at least once every two months for in-depth discussions on current issues. Furthermore, I will meet with people from all walks of life, as well as both parties, on a regular basis to discuss state affairs and listen to voices from the field."
Kim also said, "By holding a 'Media Day' once a week, I will consistently and faithfully listen to the voices of the press. I will establish formal and respectful communication channels with various media outlets, including reporters covering the presidential office, newspapers, and broadcasters, to thoroughly guarantee the public's right to know."
Kim concluded, "I will become a president who communicates best, a president who approaches the people through actions rather than words, and a president who communicates so sincerely that the public may even find it overwhelming."
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