Sim Sang-jung: "Losers Accept Defeat, Winners Unite as Democratic Virtues... Yoon, Please Open the Path to Cooperation"

Sim Sang-jung, the Justice Party presidential candidate, visited the vote counting situation room set up at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 10th and held a press conference. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Sim Sang-jung, the presidential candidate of the Justice Party, said on the 10th, "The virtue of democracy is that the loser accepts the result and the winner unites," and added, "I ask President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol to responsibly open the path of cooperation and unity that he has promised so far."

At the Justice Party's campaign headquarters disbandment ceremony held at the National Assembly main building in Yeouido on the same day, Candidate Sim said, "I congratulate President-elect Yoon and offer consolation to Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate who was narrowly defeated."

He continued, "Many people supported me with desperate hearts, but I could not meet their expectations. Nevertheless, our party members and supporters do not need to lower their heads," and comforted, "Today's poor results are the limitations of the first-generation progressive politics that ultimately failed to overcome the wall of two-party politics, and it is my responsibility as Sim Sang-jung."

Candidate Sim also mentioned, "I spoke with conviction and responsibility about the path South Korea should take, regardless of approval ratings or advantages and disadvantages," adding, "I took the lead in raising the issues of the climate crisis and inequality, led the direction of political reform and pluralistic democracy, and established the value of gender equality as a universal principle in our society against discrimination and hatred."

He then said, "I will repay my unfinished responsibilities from this election by serving quietly in the future," and urged, "Now, I hope the next generation of leadership will step forward more confidently and assertively as a third alternative force."

Furthermore, he stated, "This election, despite various concerns and twists and turns, was an election that reaffirmed how formidable public opinion is. The people strongly showed both the will to judge and to check," and added, "They also left Sim Sang-jung with the spirit of 석과불식 (碩果不食, 'not eating the big fruit'). Along with this, we must deeply heed the serious warning from women in their 20s and 30s against indiscriminate misogyny and divisive politics," subtly criticizing the People Power Party.

In particular, he said, "I believe it is a valuable achievement that our youth, who had been erased from politics, expressed their opinions confidently. Above all, this election painfully confirmed that without political reform, we cannot overcome extreme factional politics," and added, "The transition to pluralistic democracy has become a more urgent task."

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