"Give Us the Power to Check Absolute Authority"... Hwang Kyo-ahn and Kim Jong-in Make Final Appeals for Support

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 14th, one day before the general election, Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the United Future Party, and Kim Jong-in, the overall election committee chairman, appealed for last-minute support by citing the government's failures over the past three years. Leader Hwang said, "Give us the power to check the reckless absolute power," and Chairman Kim raised his voice, saying, "Please vote with patriotism to save the country."

On the morning of the same day, Leader Hwang held a press conference at Bosingak in Jongno and said, "Even though the country has been ruined, if they get 180 seats, the future of this country is despair." He added, "The Democratic Party of Korea is arrogant, expecting 180 seats in this general election," and emphasized, "If they get 180 seats, the economy will worsen, people's livelihoods will face collapse, income-led growth, nuclear phase-out, and anti-business pro-labor union policies will remain unchanged, Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol will be ousted, and the Cho Kuk couple will smile and be resurrected."

Leader Hwang continued, "The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, and biased civic groups will wear armbands and become more dominant, and the forces that once embraced socialism and federal unification will even attempt constitutional amendments denying liberal democracy," adding, "Only the people have the power to prevent such a situation."

Chairman Kim also held a press conference at the National Assembly main building that morning and raised the argument for judging the government, saying, "We must make them come to their senses through voting." He emphasized, "When COVID-19 disappears, a full-scale economic corona will come like a big wave, but these government people cannot even provide emergency measures no matter how much we tell them," and added, "They are good at acting and manipulating, but incompetent at solving people's livelihoods." He continued, "You must make the United Future Party the majority party so that the National Assembly can check and navigate the future," and said, "If you give us a majority, we will take the lead in solving the economic crisis. We know the United Future Party is not perfect, but if given the chance, we will boldly work to reform into a competent opposition party."

Meanwhile, Park Hyung-joon, co-chairman of the election committee, criticized the statement by Lee In-young, floor leader of the Democratic Party, who said, "If candidate Ko Min-jung is elected, disaster relief funds will be given to all citizens," calling it "a disgusting vote-buying act using taxpayers' money." Park appeared consecutively on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strong Current Affairs' that day, raising his voice, saying, "Do people have to sell and beg for votes to receive disaster relief funds? Disaster relief funds are not 'national bribes,'" and called Lee's remarks "the worst-ever blunder."

Chairman Kim said, "This election is the last exit to return the country to a path where it can survive," and requested conservative unity, saying, "They will vote for the other side even if they ruin the economy and kill democracy, but their numbers are limited. To defeat them, we must have more votes than them."

Female members of the National Assembly, candidates, and party officials of the United Future Party and the Future Korea Party issued a press release that day targeting Kim Nam-guk (Gyeonggi Ansan Danwon), a Democratic Party candidate who appeared on a podcast containing content degrading women, demanding, "Candidate Kim should resign, the Democratic Party that nominated an unqualified candidate should apologize, and Candidate Kim should be expelled."

On the same day, while Leader Hwang focused on campaigning in the Jongno area, Chairman Kim toured battleground districts within Seoul such as Guro, Yangcheon, Dongjak, Yongsan, and Dongdaemun to support candidates. Co-chairman Park Hyung-joon conducted support campaigns in Daegu Buk-gu Gap and Suseong. Also, the United Future Party and its satellite party, the Future Korea Party, held a joint performance campaign called 'Mark the Second Box' at the National Assembly that morning.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.