Lee Jae-myung and Lee Nak-yeon Launch All-Out Effort to Rally Support in Gwangju, the Heart of the Ruling Party

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Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, and former leader Lee Nak-yeon are holding hands and appealing for support in front of the Chungjang-ro Post Office in Gwangju on the afternoon of the 27th.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, visited Gwangju, the heart of the party, on the 27th along with former leader Lee Nak-yeon to solidify public support.

On the afternoon of the same day, Lee appealed for support for the 4th Democratic government in front of the post office on Chungjang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, while criticizing candidate Yoon Seok-yeol and the People Power Party as a whole.

The stairs in front of the Chungjang-ro Post Office in Dong-gu, Gwangju, known as ‘Udabang,’ served as a preliminary gathering place and information exchange site for crowds during the May 18 Democratic Uprising. Before the era of mobile phones, it was widely used as a meeting place for citizens, making it a site rich in both historical significance and the sorrows and joys of the people.

At this location, Lee said, “Gwangju is the social mother who gave me a new birth socially. That is why I say I am the social son born of Gwangju.” He raised his voice, saying, “After learning the truth of the May 18 Democratic Movement, I followed that path to come here, and I have been making every effort to practice the Gwangju spirit of human rights and peace in reality.”

He continued, “When I was 13 and went to work at a factory, I noticed something strange. All the managers were from Gyeongsang Province, and all the workers were from Jeolla Province.” He recalled his childhood, saying, “As a child from Andong in Gyeongsang Province, I wondered why I was not a manager.”

He added, “I later realized that this phenomenon was the result of the Park Chung-hee regime concentrating investment in Gyeongsang Province while partially neglecting Jeolla Province.” He argued, “This is the so-called Honam neglect theory. It is absurd that Busan’s airport was built with national funds, while the relocation of Gwangju’s military airport is left to be handled with your own money.”

He also spoke about candidate Yoon Seok-yeol’s ‘preemptive strike theory.’

He said, “If political gains are sought by causing national insecurity and creating tension, the crisis of war between North and South Korea escalates, which directly leads to economic losses.” He emphasized, “Using security for political advantage is called security populism, and this must never be allowed.”

He further appealed, “We need a president who will protect security and a president who will uphold fairness. It is essential to ensure that no region or person feels unfairly treated.”

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, is announcing his pledge at Gwangju Airport on the morning of the 27th.

Former leader Lee Nak-yeon, who appeared at the event, also appealed for support for Lee so that the Democratic Party can stand as a ruling party that meets the demands of the times.

Lee introduced the former leader as a respected giant of the Democratic Party and a respected figure who has led the Republic of Korea.

Former leader Lee began, “Today’s main figure is candidate Lee Jae-myung,” and said, “Please unify all future chants to Lee Jae-myung.”

He continued, “It has been 35 years since the constitutional amendment for direct presidential elections. The opposing party has ruled for 20 years, and we have ruled for 15 years.” He raised his voice, saying, “No matter how you think about it, the party that has done well for the country among the two governments is the Democratic Party.”

He added, “There are many challenges before us now, but the most important is overcoming COVID-19.” He argued, “Although there are some regrets, our Republic of Korea has done well in quarantine. Isn’t it right for those who have rowed the boat to continue rowing?”

He said, “Of course, the Democratic Party still has many shortcomings and deficiencies. There are many times I am not satisfied either.” He added, “If you entrust the Republic of Korea once again to candidate Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party, I will also strive to make it a ruling party that meets the demands of the times.”

Meanwhile, Lee spent the morning in Gwangju on the same day. After announcing pledges at Gwangju Airport, he visited the collapsed apartment site to console the families of the victims and inspect the site. Afterwards, he stopped by Malbau Market in Buk-gu to communicate with citizens.

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