Yoon Focuses on External Expansion, Choi Strengthens Roots in Yeouido

Two Leading Yeo Party Candidates Take Divergent Paths
Yoon Seok-yeol Focuses on Revitalizing Local Economy
Meets Merchants at Seomun Market
Holds Meeting with Self-Employed in Dongseong-ro Area

Choi Jae-hyung Meets Party Spokespersons
Introduces Himself to Secretariat Staff
Maintains Ongoing Engagement with Party Lawmakers

Former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung (left) and former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Hyunju Lee and Boryeong Geum] The leading opposition presidential candidates, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung, are continuing their contrasting paths. On the 20th, while former Prosecutor General Yoon headed to Daegu following his visit to Gwangju the previous day, former Chairman Choi met with figures within the People Power Party to establish his roots.

This is the first time former Prosecutor General Yoon has visited Daegu since his political declaration at the end of last month. Daegu is known as the stronghold of conservatism and is also where Yoon worked as a rookie prosecutor at the age of 35.

Former Prosecutor General Yoon focused on revitalizing the local economy. In the morning, after paying respects at the 2.28 Democracy Movement Memorial Tower in Dalseo-gu, Daegu, he met with key figures who resisted the dictatorship of the Rhee Syngman regime, then immediately visited Seomun Market to meet merchants. In the afternoon, he visited the Dongseong-ro area to hold a meeting with self-employed business owners facing difficulties and concluded his schedule by visiting the startup nurturing space, the ‘Creative Economy Innovation Center.’ Most of his schedule was concentrated on the economy and people’s livelihoods.

Former Chairman Choi met in the morning at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, with full-time spokespersons Im Seung-ho and Yang Jun-woo, and full-time deputy spokespersons Kim Yeon-ju and Shin In-gyu. A member of Choi’s campaign team explained, "The spokesperson team selected through the debate battle has shown great ability to convey voices from various sectors and communicate well," adding, "It means that (former Chairman Choi) intends to stand at the center of change and reform." Considering that the spokesperson team will serve as the party’s ‘mouth’ and ‘ears’ for the next six months, former Chairman Choi plans to listen to various voices through them. He also held an introductory meeting with party secretariat staff.

He is also continuously exchanging opinions with party lawmakers. As a latecomer and a ‘political newcomer’ with limited influence within the party, former Chairman Choi is directly calling lawmakers to seek political advice. Following People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok’s decision the previous day to allow lawmakers and party committee chairpersons, including party members, to openly assist the party’s presidential candidates, Choi is accelerating efforts to gather as many supporters as possible. So far, lawmakers Cho Hae-jin, Park Dae-chul, Kim Yong-pan, and Kim Mi-ae have shown positive stances toward former Chairman Choi.

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