Last-Minute Efforts to Gain More Votes

Chung Dong-young says, “Please care for the grassroots.”

Chung Dong-young, the chairman of the ruling Uri Party, finished his election campaign at Myeong-dong, Seoul, after visiting Gwangju, Gunsan, and Yeongi-gun, where the administrative capital will be set up.

During the 13 days of the election campaign, Chung visited Gwangju for four times and said, “Gwangju citizens have been supporting the former president Kim Dae Jung since the 1980’s and I know that you all will make the right choice in this election by voting for the Uri Party. We will never allow corruption in our society.”

Chung criticized Park Geun-hye, the leader of the opposition party, by saying, “Visiting Daejeon right after leaving the hospital is insensible.” Although Chung said, “The unfortunate incident of Park should not be repeated again”, he added, “the upcoming election will not be regarded as a democratic one if the capable candidates, carefully chosen by the Uri Party, are ‘swept away by the waves’ because of the scar that has been made on the opposition party leader’s face.”

Once executive staff member of the Uri Party said, “If the Uri Party does not gain victory in Daejeon, the Uri Party will become a “Jeonbuk Party.” Meanwhile, Uri spokesman Woo Sang-ho, expressed some hope, saying, “Park’s election campaign in Daejeon is not being effective enough to change people’s minds.”

Park: “Show the Public Sentiment”-

Park Geun-hye, the chair of the Grand National Party, went to Jeju to ask for support for Hyun Myung-gwan, a governor candidate, on May 30, two days after her discharge from the hospital. The Seogwipo east gate rotary, the first place Park arrived, was crowded with people wanting to see her. According to the police, as many as 5,000 people flocked towards the platform to see Park.

Park was wearing a lilac jacket and a pair of dark purple pants. Although she still had a pressure bandage on her right cheek, she seemed to be more animated than the day before, when she was in Daejeon. She gave a speech for about three minutes, which was longer than usual, and her voice was clearer than before. She said, “Hyun is the candidate who understands how much I love Jeju and will be capable of developing this island. Please give Hyun an opportunity to show his ability, which was a success in oversea countries, in Jeju.”

After her speech, she went to Jeju City Hall with Hyun. Park and Hyun were hand in hand in front of the public. She asked the citizens to support Hyun, saying, “Jeju Island is a great treasure of Korea. I guarantee this man and ask you to vote for him. This is a chance for Jeju to make great developments”

Before the election campaign in Jeju Island, the GNP held a meeting in the headquarters and appealed to the public, saying, “The public should make the ruling party recognize that public sentiment does matter a lot”

The Democratic Party, the Democratic Labor Party, and the People First Party-

On May 30, the Democratic Party held an “all in” election campaign in Jeonbuk province. The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) was pushing their own idea of a “progressive reform representative shift” in Seoul and Incheon, while the People First Party (PFP) was doing their best to turn the tables in Chungnam Province.

Han Hwa-gap of the Democratic Party visited 10 cities and counties in Chungnam Province, including Namwon and Jeonju. He emphasized the unification among the public led by the Democratic Party. He said, “The ruling party has already accepted the fact that they cannot win this election. Also, the party is in trouble and is collapsing.”

Chun Young-sae, the associate chairman of elections of the DLP, made an appeal to the public, saying, “The DLP is the only political party to counter the GNP.” Chairman Chun made visits to the main streets of Seoul, such as Namdaemun market and Myeong-dong, saying, “A vote for the Uri Party will be meaningless.”

Shim Dae-pyeong, the associate representative of the PFP, visited all parts of Chungnam Province, including Cheonan, where 20% of the Chungnam voters live. Shim appealed to the citizens emotionally by saying, “The upcoming local election is losing its meaning because of the fights between the leading and opposition parties. If Chungcheong Province does not put an end to this fight, this place will be the arena of competition again. Worse yet, people from this place will be stigmatized as ‘people from a stupid region of Korea.’”