Park Young-sun Campaign '20s Party Staff' Controversy... Youths Express Frustration, "Is This a Trick?"

20s Speaker Supporting Park Young-sun, Revealed as Former Ruling Party Staff
Expert: "20s Are Sensitive to Fairness and Justice"

Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor, is appealing for support during a focused campaign rally near Isu Station in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the 31st of last month. Photo by National Assembly Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Joo-hee] Controversy has erupted after it was revealed that a supporter in their 20s who gave a speech at Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul mayoral candidate's campaign rally, was a former party official of the Democratic Party. Among the youth, criticism is pouring in that this is a 'trick.' Although Candidate Park has been releasing youth policies daily to win over the votes of the 2030 generation, there are concerns about the sincerity of these efforts.

Earlier, on the morning of the 31st of last month, Candidate Park held a focused campaign rally around Seoul's Isu Station and Seoul National University Station areas. On that day, three young people in their 20s climbed onto the campaign vehicle and expressed their support for Candidate Park.

At the rally, Hong (28) climbed onto the campaign vehicle at Isu Station and said, "I have courageously come up here to correct the distorted falsehood that all 2030 generation only support Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate." Seo Young-kyo, co-head of the joint campaign headquarters and head of the campaign office, who hosted the rally, introduced Hong as a "28-year-old graduate student residing in Dongjak-gu."

Hong continued, "The only person who can solve the housing problem through additional youth housing supply is Candidate Park," repeatedly appealing for support for Candidate Park. However, it was revealed that Hong had been a party official serving as the spokesperson for the Democratic Party's National University Students Committee until a month ago.

Also, at the focused campaign rally in Gwanak-gu that day, Park, a man in his 30s, criticized Oh Se-hoon, Candidate Park's rival from the People Power Party, saying, "I do not want a mayor who politicizes the issue of children’s meals." Park was also identified as the head of the Democratic Party's 2030 Youth Campaign Committee.

Park Young-sun, Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Seoul mayor. Photo by Yonhap News

As these facts became known, voices of criticism arose among young people doubting the sincerity. It is pointed out that even in election rallies appealing for policy transparency and support from citizens, false appearances are being shown.

Choi, a 20-something job seeker, said, "If (the speaker’s) affiliation had simply been disclosed, no one would have raised questions, but (the Democratic Party) did not do so," adding, "This looks less like a genuine appeal to the youth and more like a temporary plea to get their support just before the election."

He continued, "Such trickery only causes further loss of trust. I wonder if they truly understand the parts where young people genuinely worry and struggle."

Criticism also poured in from opposition parties toward the Democratic Party. Park Ki-nyung, deputy spokesperson of the People Power Party's Central Campaign Headquarters, said in a statement on the 1st, "We do not know the exact reason, but it seems they hurriedly recruited party members because there were no real ordinary young applicants. It is hard to avoid criticism that they tried to deceive Seoul citizens," adding, "These false appearances seem to be the very 'Democratic Party style.'"

Park further criticized, "Watching this 'trick campaign,' I once again understood why the 2030 youth do not support the Democratic Party. There is even a joke that Candidate Park Young-sun is conducting a self-defeat campaign targeting the youth. They should feel ashamed of using tricks in front of the people."

Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor, is appealing for support from citizens near Wangsimni Station in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on the 30th of last month. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

Kim Woong, a lawmaker from the same party, also mocked on Facebook, "Let's admit this. Where would there be an ordinary young person with historical experience like the Democratic Party style? Truly a veteran in lying. The Democratic Party did what the Democratic Party does again."

Lee Jun-seok, head of the New Media Division of the People Power Party's election committee, compared on his Facebook, "(The People Power Party's) 2030 citizen participation rallies have now almost reached 200 people in total," and criticized, "We have so many that there is no room for party officials to squeeze in. If party officials try to join, they would be around 100th in line."

Experts pointed out that if controversies violating fairness continue, the youth's trust could be lost. Kwak Geum-joo, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University, said, "People in their 20s place great importance on issues like fairness and justice," adding, "Recently, incidents causing controversy over fairness, such as the LH (Korea Land and Housing Corporation) scandal and real estate issues, have occurred continuously. When these accumulate, young people no longer feel 'sincerity' and lose trust in certain groups."

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