"I Came to the Polls to Punish the Traitor Lee Nakyon"

Voters Flock to Hongnong-eup Early Voting Station from Morning
Once a Conservative Stronghold, the Atmosphere Has Shifted
Disappointment Over Alliance with Kim Moonsoo Reflected in Votes
Some Voters Say, "Disappointed in Lee Nakyon, Beyond Progressive or Conservative"
Anger Over "He Made People Come to the Polls"

A view of the early voting station in Hongnong-eup, Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do on the 29th. Photo by Shim Jinseok

"I came to vote because of Lee Nakyon."

At 9 a.m. on the first day of early voting for the 21st presidential election on the 29th, the Hongnong Community Center (Hongnong-eup early voting station) was already seeing a steady stream of local residents, from elderly people who appeared to be advanced in age, to people in their 20s, and even people with disabilities, despite the relatively early hour. Even in the calm atmosphere, there was a clear sense of determination to cast their votes.

Hongnong-eup in Yeonggwang-gun is considered one of the most conservative areas in Jeollanam-do, which is otherwise known as a Democratic Party stronghold. This is largely due to the high proportion of residents from other regions, a result of the nearby Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, as well as the area's traditional lack of support for the Democratic Party. In the previous presidential election, Yoon Sukyeol, then a candidate, recorded a high vote share of 40.59% at the fifth polling station in Hongnong-eup, which is a representative example.

On this day, however, the atmosphere was clearly different from that time. While there was certainly disappointment with the conservative bloc, especially as this presidential election was being held under Yoon Sukyeol's unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law, the backlash against Lee Nakyon, senior advisor to the New Future Democratic Party, who declared a political alliance with Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, was even greater than expected. In particular, there was a strong sense of connecting Lee Nakyon to the conservative bloc.

On the 29th, local residents visited the early voting station in Hongnong-eup, Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do, to cast their precious votes. Photo by Shim Jinseok

Kim Younghyun (age 76), who had just finished voting, said, "In this area, mentioning the name Lee Nakyon is an unspoken taboo," and added, "Of course, it is natural to distinguish between progressives and conservatives based on political leanings, but today, many people are coming to vote out of disappointment with Lee Nakyon. I am one of them."

Jeon Yeonsun (age 92), who came to the polling station despite being over 90 years old, also said, "I came to vote with my son, and I had a very clear reason for doing so," and added, "Although I had a negative view of former President Yoon Sukyeol, it was Lee Nakyon, who is from Yeonggwang but moved to that side, that made me come to vote. That should never have happened," expressing her anger.

Another voter, who requested anonymity, said, "The sense of betrayal among local residents regarding Lee Nakyon is beyond words," and explained, "I don't know about other regions, but at least in Yeonggwang, the atmosphere is not about political ideology, but about voting to punish Lee Nakyon."

In this atmosphere, more than ten people with disabilities from a local welfare organization also cast their precious votes.

Lee Myungsik, a life rehabilitation instructor at this welfare organization, said, "All of our organization's members decided to vote today, so we came together," and emphasized, "I hope this election is not simply about choosing by party or ideology. We need to elect someone who can protect the country."

Meanwhile, as of 10 a.m. on-site, 456 local residents and 219 out-of-area voters had completed voting at the Hongnong-eup early voting station.