Kwon Youngguk: "Starting Politics for the Poor Against the Two Major Parties"

"Eradicating All Forms of Discrimination and Hatred"

Kwon Youngguk, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Labor Party, stated on the 2nd, "Progressive politics, once criticized, is finally creating hope again," and added, "Let us begin politics for the poor, standing against the monopolistic politics of the two major parties and the politics of political camps."

Kwon Youngguk, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Labor Party, is moving for a campaign near Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on the 2nd. Photo by Yonhap News

At his final campaign rally held at Bosingak in Jongno-gu, Seoul on this day, Kwon said, "Let us not disperse or split apart any longer."

Kwon emphasized, "We are never weak. I was never alone," and continued, "I stand here together with all the people suffering on this land."

Kwon declared, "We now proclaim the historic responsibility of progressive politics here and now," and added, "Let us move beyond the politics of the far-right and conservatives, and advance toward politics for workers and the people."

Kwon said, "Should we not eradicate all forms of discrimination and hatred together with ending civil strife?" and continued, "Let us create a society where no one is left behind, a country where no one is excluded?a nation without discrimination."

Kwon was selected as the candidate through the Presidential Transition Alliance for Social Transformation, which is composed of the Justice Party, Labor Party, Green Party, and civil society organizations. Kwon, a former dismissed worker at Poongsan Metal, passed the bar exam in 1999 and has since been active in labor fields, including serving as legal counsel for the Ssangyong Motor mass layoff case. His main campaign pledges include: ▲ electoral system reform ▲ amendment of Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act ▲ a 1 million won minimum citizen income ▲ introduction of a super-wealth tax on the top 0.1%, among others.