Lee Jae Myung Campaigns in Daejeon Wearing Hanwha Eagles' Number 21 Jersey, Vows to Lead the Country Toward Unity

"I Will Become a Leader of Unity"

Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, visited Daejeon on the 31st and made a final appeal for support, pledging, "I will lead this country back onto the path of unity."

Following campaign rallies earlier in the day in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, and Sejong, Lee visited Boramae Park in Tanbang-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon for his final event. He said, "Daejeon means 'big field,' and it is a region where Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces come together and interact. Isn't it said that everything will be decided by the hands of Daejeon citizens, Chungcheong residents, and Sejong citizens?"

Lee continued, "Isn't it said that you have to win here (in Daejeon and Chungcheong) to truly win? We need to call our estranged friends and talk to the shop owners next door, and by doing so, we ourselves must prevent their return and create a truly democratic country, a country for the people."

He went on to say, "A short while ago, Pastor Jeon Kwang Hoon read a message from former President Yoon Suk Yeol, and apparently, that message included an instruction to support Kim Moon Soo (the People Power Party presidential candidate). What this clearly shows is that this presidential election is about overcoming insurrection, punishing the forces of rebellion, and making sure that military coups are never possible again in this country."

He added, "I believe that Candidate Kim is 'Yoon Suk Yeol's avatar' and 'Jeon Kwang Hoon's puppet.' But can we allow them to return? If they come back, we will become a third-world underdeveloped country where the people are constantly threatened, military coups become a daily occurrence, and the nation falls into decline."

Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate (left in the photo), is making a powerful pitching motion while wearing the number 21 uniform of legendary Hanwha Eagles pitcher and manager Song Jin Woo, pledging victory in the 21st presidential election during a campaign rally held at Boramae Park in front of Daejeon City Hall on the 31st. Photo by Yonhap News

Throughout the intensive campaign rally in Daejeon, Lee wore the Hanwha Eagles' retired number 21 uniform, which he received from manager Song Jin Woo, a former pitcher for the team. Just before starting his speech, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong Man, who was accompanying Lee, whispered something to him. Lee said, "(Representative Kim) told me to take off the uniform, but I said I wouldn't. They gave me the retired number 21 shirt, which must mean they want me to become the 21st president. So why would I take it off?" he joked, drawing cheers from supporters.

Lee also said, "The Hanwha Eagles are a great team that unites citizens as one. Politics should also unite the people in the same way. From now on, I will become a leader who unites not just Daejeon citizens but all of South Korea."