Gwangju Complex Shopping Mall Attraction... Ruling and Opposition Parties Debate Clash

Lee Jun-seok Proposes TV Debate to the Democratic Party
Song Gap-seok: "Time and Place for Debate Are Very Inappropriate"

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is greeting supporters at the 'Promise to Take Responsibility for Honam's Development!' Gwangju Base Campaign Rally held on the morning of the 16th at Songjeong Daily Market in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Wooseok] The ruling and opposition parties continue to clash over Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, and his pledge to attract a complex shopping mall to Gwangju Metropolitan City. On the 17th, the People Power Party proposed a TV debate on the 'Attraction of a Complex Shopping Mall in Gwangju' to the Democratic Party, but the Democratic Party rejected it, saying "the time and place are very inappropriate."

On the same day, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, sent official letters in his capacity as party leader to KBS Gwangju Broadcasting Headquarters, Gwangju Munhwa Broadcasting, and KBC Gwangju Private Broadcasting, demanding the holding of a 'Complex Shopping Mall Attraction TV Debate.' According to the official letter, Lee proposed himself as a debater and a related figure from the Democratic Party as the opponent.

The People Power Party Gwangju City Party Election Countermeasures Committee also stated in a commentary that "Candidate Yoon mentioned the complex shopping mall during his campaign in Gwangju on the 16th, and this is by no means an impulsive pledge," adding, "It was announced after listening to the opinions of Gwangju citizens and through communication and detailed policy review."

They continued, "If the Democratic Party Gwangju City Party continues to oppose the attraction of the complex shopping mall desired by Gwangju citizens, we will ask the citizens and appeal for the attraction of the complex shopping mall," and "We request that the two parties fairly address their views on the issue to Gwangju citizens through the debate."

The People Power Party Gwangju City Party Election Countermeasures Committee criticized, "Opposing what 60% of Gwangju citizens want proves that the Democratic Party Gwangju City Party has fallen into regional hegemony," and "The Democratic Party should not treat citizens arrogantly by failing to properly understand the meaning of the support sent by the citizens."

Song Gap-seok, Chairman of the Gwangju City Party Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting on May 7, 2021. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Democratic Party immediately responded. Song Gap-seok, chairman of the Democratic Party Gwangju City Party, expressed refusal to debate, saying, "The time and place for the debate are very inappropriate," and the Democratic Party Gwangju City Party stated in a press release, "Now is the time for the ruling and opposition political circles to discuss in a bipartisan manner how to help small business owners and self-employed people affected by COVID-19, and the place should be the National Assembly, not Gwangju."

Regarding the People Power Party's claim that the Democratic Party opposed the complex shopping mall, they rebutted, "The Democratic Party has never opposed the attraction of a complex shopping mall. Candidate Yoon should stop making false claims immediately," adding, "The past failure to attract a complex shopping mall in Gwangju was due to the opposition and concerns of surrounding merchants and civil society who feared damage to commercial districts because the mall was located in the heart of Gwangju, and the business owner’s own withdrawal due to insufficient alleviation of these concerns."

They emphasized, "A complex shopping mall is neither a matter of 'blind attraction' nor 'unconditional opposition.' The first consideration should be coexistence and mutual growth with the local commercial district."

Meanwhile, on the 16th, Candidate Yoon raised his voice at Songjeong Daily Market in Gwangju, saying, "Other regions all have complex shopping malls, but Gwangju does not," and that the reason why there is no complex shopping mall in Gwangju yet is because "the Democratic Party opposed it."

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