Lee Nak-yeon and Kim Boo-kyum Complete Candidate Registration, Targeting 'Pro-Roh' and 'Pro-Lee Jae-myung' Voter Sentiments

Completed Party Leader Candidate Registration on the 20th
Kim Bu-gyeom Visited Bongha Village on the 18th, Lee Nak-yeon on the 20th... Met with Lady Kwon Yang-sook
Love Calls Also for Governor Lee Jae-myung... "Let's Do Good Politics Together," "We Will Work Hand in Hand"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] Lee Nak-yeon, a member of the Democratic Party running for party leader, and former member Kim Boo-kyum are targeting the 'Pro-Roh (Pro-Roh Moo-hyun)' and 'Pro-Lee Jae-myung' voter bases. However, since declaring his candidacy, Lee has been taking a cautious approach focused on parliamentary activities, while Kim has been delivering more aggressive messages as he tours regions, showing a difference in tone.

On the 20th, after registering as a candidate for party leader, Lee visited Bongha Village, the birthplace of former President Roh Moo-hyun, to meet with Mrs. Kwon Yang-sook. Through a press release, Lee announced 'Lee Nak-yeon's 7 Promises' and revealed the 'gift for Mrs. Kwon Yang-sook.' Lee explained, "As a gift for Mrs. Kwon Yang-sook, I prepared Daegang Makgeolli, which former President Roh Moo-hyun shared with residents in Bongha Village on the day he returned to his hometown after his retirement ceremony."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Former member Kim wrote on his Facebook the day before, "Early yesterday morning, I went to Bongha to pay respects to the President. I wrote in the guestbook, 'I will work really hard to become someone essential to the country and the party.' I ate the beef soup prepared by Mrs. Kwon," he said. Before visiting Bongha Village, Kim had posted on the 17th, "A shadow of crisis is looming over the party. I will ask how President Roh Moo-hyun would act now."

Both candidates sent 'love calls' even immediately after the Supreme Court's remand ruling on Lee Jae-myung, a leading presidential candidate and Governor of Gyeonggi Province, on the 16th. Kim posted on Facebook at 2:30 PM right after the ruling, saying "Thank goodness," and added, "I will work harder with the Governor for good politics." About an hour later, at 3:29 PM, Lee posted after attending the plenary session, saying, "I welcome the Supreme Court's ruling," and "I will join hands with Governor Lee to overcome the COVID-19 national crisis and succeed in the Korean New Deal."

However, regarding whether Lee Jae-myung would ally with the party leader candidates, he appeared on a CBS radio interview that morning and dismissed the idea, saying, "How would taking sides help? I don't have the luxury for that. There's no reason to do so, and I'm busy governing the province, so I can't deal with that." The moves of the two party leader candidates are interpreted as the outcome of the party convention depending as much on the Pro-Moon (Pro-Moon Jae-in) faction as on the Pro-Roh faction. Lee Jae-myung's fandom, which has removed risks as a presidential candidate following the Supreme Court's remand ruling, also has significant influence.

However, the two candidates' activities have diverged since their candidacy announcements. Lee has focused on parliamentary activities such as attending various seminars, while Kim, who lost in this year's general election, is touring nationwide holding press briefings with local governments. Meanwhile, candidates for the Supreme Council election, held alongside the party leader election, have declared their candidacies by this day, including members Lee Jae-jung, Lee Won-wook, Noh Woong-rae, and Seoul Mayor Yeom Tae-young. It is also known that members Shin Dong-geun, Han Byung-do, and Yang Hyang-ja are considering the timing of their candidacy announcements.

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