Eunsan Jo, Reasons for the Democratic Party's Defeat: "Overestimating Kim Eo-jun, Underestimating the People"

"Lost Votes of Young Female Voters"
"Kim Eo-jun, Merely a Hairy and Troubled Conspiracy Theorist"

On the night of the 7th, Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul mayoral candidate, is entering the party headquarters after a devastating exit poll defeat. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Jin-in (塵人) Jo Eun-san, a commentator famous for the "Seven Proposals for the New Year" national petition, cited three main reasons for the Democratic Party's defeat in the April 7 by-elections: ▲ politics of conflict and division ▲ overestimation of TBS Kim Eo-jun's News Factory, which is merely a playground for the extreme pro-Moon Jae-in faction ▲ underestimation of the public.

On the 8th, Jo Eun-san posted an article titled "Reasons for the Democratic Party's Defeat" on his blog.

He said one reason for the Democratic Party's defeat was "politics of conflict and division," noting that "while it was easy to secure approval ratings, it actually worked as a negative factor in the election."

He wrote, "President Moon Jae-in, who claimed to be a feminist president, and ruling party figures succeeded in pushing 2030 voters into the heart of gender conflict by flooding various gender issues including gender sensitivity," adding, "now, an era of progressive 'gender equality' has opened where one can be reduced to a rapist based solely on the consistent testimony and tears of the victim without direct evidence, and angry young men have rapidly started to leave the support base."

He continued, "As much as the lost male votes, the female votes were certainly not secured," explaining, "'The three women who caused controversy over secondary victimization with the neologism 'victim complainant,' along with Rep. Yoon Mi-hyang and former Secretary-General Lim Jong-seok's continuous secondary victimization, gradually eroded the support of young female voters."

Jo Eun-san cited the second reason for the Democratic Party's defeat as "overestimating Kim Eo-jun's News Factory, which is nothing more than a playground for the extreme pro-Moon Jae-in faction."

Regarding Kim Eo-jun, he wrote, "He is nothing more than a playground for the extreme pro-Moon faction. Among many conspiracy theories, especially through the Cheonan ship grounding theory, he has long been imprinted as a figure that all groups except the hardcore supporters should neither watch nor listen to," explaining.

He added, "The fact that former Seoul mayoral candidate Park Young-sun appeared on his broadcast was like kicking away the votes of the moderate voters."

Lastly, Jo Eun-san presented the reason for the Democratic Party's defeat as '(the Democratic Party) underestimated the people.'

Jo Eun-san wrote, "Although the April 7 by-election was held due to the former mayor's sexual scandal, it was close to a judgment on the skyrocketing housing prices and a condemnation of the hypocritical main culprits," adding, "To soothe the worsened public sentiment, they did not embrace the people's emotions but rather tried hard to fit the people into their outdated emotions, mistakenly believing the people would return to their side."

He evaluated, "In front of the people struggling with the reality of soaring housing prices, the Democratic Party was only busy with cheap emotions, negativity, dredging up past issues, and trivial matters, failing to present any future-oriented story or realistic alternatives beyond Naegok-dong fish stew and Ferragamo shoes."

He comforted the people, saying, "The dream of owning a home that has drifted away is as painful as shattered glass, but you made the right choice and bravely picked it up well. It's a painful story, but that does not mean housing prices will fall quickly or sharply. It is also a limitation of the one-year mayoral term, and due to the extremely restricted supply, recovery will take some time. However, depending on the direction of the next administration, there is a possibility of gradual stabilization after an adjustment period, so I hope those without homes will hang in there a little longer."

Finally, Jo Eun-san left a message for Seoul Mayor-elect Oh Se-hoon. He wrote, "Did you have a beer? If so, now get ready. But don't be scared. Just remember that Seoul belongs to its citizens, not the mayor."

Below is the full text posted by Jin-in (塵人) Jo Eun-san on his blog

Reasons for the Democratic Party's Defeat

1. Politics of conflict and division was easy to secure approval ratings but actually worked as a negative factor in the election.

President Moon Jae-in, who claimed to be a feminist president, and ruling party figures succeeded in pushing 2030 voters into the heart of gender conflict by flooding various gender issues including gender sensitivity. Having already witnessed the perversely evolved progressive 'fairness' through the In-guk-gong incident, an era of progressive 'gender equality' has now opened where one can be reduced to a rapist based solely on the consistent testimony and tears of the victim without direct evidence, and angry young men have rapidly started to leave the support base.

However, as much as the lost male votes, they should have certainly secured the female votes. But they did not. They failed to draw overwhelming support from women in their 20s comparable to the overwhelming support from 20s men for the opposition.

The reason is well known. Former leader Lee Nak-yeon’s reckless remark that "being judged by election is the duty of a responsible political party," even at the cost of revising the party constitution, confused people about which party was responsible for the by-election caused by a sexual scandal. Along with the three women who caused controversy over secondary victimization with the neologism 'victim complainant,' continuous secondary victimization by Rep. Yoon Mi-hyang and former Secretary-General Lim Jong-seok gradually eroded the support of young female voters.

Divisive politics is despicable but easy. However, that is only true if it is based on protecting one’s own side to the end. The Democratic Party failed in that regard. Ultimately, candidate Oh received over 70% of the votes from men in their 20s, while candidate Park only managed to get 44% of the votes from women in the same age group. And we know that, as always, the enemy lies within.

2. Overestimated Kim Eo-jun's News Factory, which is nothing more than a playground for the extreme pro-Moon faction.

He is nothing but a conspiracy theorist full of flaws. Among many descriptions, I find no more restrained and fitting expression to evaluate him. Moreover, among numerous conspiracy theories, especially through the Cheonan ship grounding theory, he has long been imprinted as a figure that all groups except the hardcore supporters should neither watch nor listen to. In other words, he is a tool for the pro-Moon faction’s mental victory, not a tool for absorbing and embracing the moderate voters.

What did the moderates feel from ruling party figures and candidate Park, who visited his broadcast as if on a pilgrimage to a sacred place and even spouted nonsense like 'Are you afraid of mornings without him?' Appearing on his broadcast was already like kicking away the votes of the moderates.

3. On the other hand, they underestimated the people.

Although the April 7 by-election was held due to the former mayor’s sexual scandal, it was close to a judgment on the skyrocketing housing prices and a condemnation of the hypocritical main culprits. However, to soothe the worsened public sentiment, they did not embrace the people's emotions but rather tried hard to fit the people into their outdated emotions, mistakenly believing the people would return to their side.

Regarding the biggest problem and cause, the failure of real estate policy, an official apology at the party level and a declaration of a progressive policy shift were things that could not be expected from the Democratic Party from the start. They always have to be right and just. Their chosen method is always emotional manipulation following the clearing of accumulated evils. I still do not understand what relation there is between clearing accumulated evils and soaring housing prices, nor why we have to see creepy emotional manipulation reminiscent of tear selfies from the Cyworld era in the 2021 political arena. I wonder if Rep. Go Mi-jung knows?

Ultimately, politics was reality.

In front of the people struggling with the reality of soaring housing prices, the Democratic Party was only busy with cheap emotions, negativity, dredging up past issues, and trivial matters, failing to present any future-oriented story or realistic alternatives beyond Naegok-dong fish stew and Ferragamo shoes. I was only more curious whether the person presumed to be candidate Oh Se-hoon added liver and kidney to the damn fish stew or not.

While the boiling smell of fish stew struck the nation, spring cherry blossom petals fluttered. Emotions fell to the ground and rolled, and citizens of Seoul and Busan bent down to pick up reality. The dream of owning a home that has drifted away is as painful as shattered glass.

But you made the right choice and bravely picked it up well. It’s a painful story, but that does not mean housing prices will fall quickly or sharply. It is also a limitation of the one-year mayoral term, and due to the extremely restricted supply, recovery will take some time. However, depending on the direction of the next administration, there is a possibility of gradual stabilization after an adjustment period, so I hope those without homes will hang in there a little longer.

Ultimately, the election started and ended with words. Policies faded, and watching that foolish process was painful. But public sentiment was dynamic. That is why it is frightening. The vote count is over. At the same time, many things have begun. People endure and live on hope that sprouts and grows. I only hoped that reality, tangible at the fingertips rather than quack emotions, would bring hope.

Mayor-elect Oh Se-hoon, did you have a beer? If so, now get ready. But don’t be scared. Just remember that Seoul belongs to its citizens, not the mayor.

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