Roughening Words from Ruling Party Leadership Candidates... 'Black Propaganda and Sycophants' Included

Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Ki-hyun Targeted "No Need for Alliance"
Supporters' Cheerleading Heats Up

[Busan=Asia Economy Reporter Bo-ryeong Kim] The tensions among the candidates running for the People Power Party's March 8 party leadership election are intensifying. Especially in the Bu-Ul-Gyeong (Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongsan) region, which has the third-largest number of responsible party members, the candidates' rhetoric to capture party support has become even more aggressive.

On the afternoon of the 14th, Ahn Cheol-soo, a candidate for party leader, stated at the joint speech meeting for Bu-Ul-Gyeong held at the Busan Port International Exhibition & Convention Center, "If you are a candidate for party leader, you should not incite division and crisis within the party through black propaganda by mentioning impeachment," adding, "Such a person is not qualified to be a candidate for party leader." This was a direct attack on candidate Kim Ki-hyun, who brought up the topic of presidential impeachment.

People Power Party representatives Hwang Kyo-ahn, Cheon Ha-ram, Kim Ki-hyun, and Ahn Cheol-soo (from left) shake hands and greet each other at the 3rd Party Convention Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam Joint Speech Meeting held at the Busan Port International Exhibition & Convention Center in Dong-gu, Busan on the afternoon of the 14th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

He continued, "You must be able to present your vision on how to lead the victory in next year's general election," emphasizing, "How can a candidate who relies on others without any vision lead the general election to victory?" This was also interpreted as a shot at candidate Kim. Kim formed the so-called 'Kim-Jang alliance' with Assemblyman Jang Je-won, followed by the 'Kim-Na alliance' with former Assemblywoman Na Kyung-won. On the morning of the same day, he even formed the 'Kim-Jo alliance' with Assemblyman Jo Kyung-tae, who was eliminated in the preliminary round of the party leader race.

Right after his speech, candidate Ahn told reporters about the alliance between Kim and Jo, "There is only one criterion for judging the party leader in this election: who can bring even one more vote in next year's general election," adding, "Other things like anti-Yoon or pro-Yoon factions, or alliances, are useless."

Candidate Kim also launched a counterattack. In his speech that day, Kim emphasized, "Our party must achieve internal unity," and said, "Our party is a minority party, and we cannot win by playing solo." After the speech, he told reporters, "Politics done as a one-man play is dangerous," and countered Ahn's remarks by saying, "A political party is a group, a collective, not a place for individual play."

Regarding Ahn's criticism of Kim as 'spineless,' Kim responded, "The leader of the ruling party does not set their own backbone but establishes the backbone of the people and the party members."

Candidate Chun Ha-ram raised the criticism level by calling the 'Yunhaekgwan' (key figures close to Yoon Seok-yeol) 'traitors.' Chun said, "Looking at the list of meritorious retainers who fled to Uiju with the king during the Imjin War, there are unbelievable names. Just because they stayed by the king's side, traitors, minor civil officials, and eunuchs appear on the list," adding, "The positions of merit are occupied by so-called Yunhaekgwan who only pander to the king's whims. This outcome is neither fair nor reasonable."

Supporters of Kim Gi-hyeon, the candidate for party leader, are cheering at the United Patriots joint speech event held at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center on the afternoon of the 14th. Photo by Asia Economy

The competition among supporters was as fierce as the candidates' tensions. The Busan Port International Exhibition & Convention Center, where the event was held, was packed with People Power Party members. Although 2,000 chairs were prepared inside the venue, an estimated 5,000 people attended, resulting in more than half being unable to enter and cheering from outside.

Proving their high approval ratings, supporters of candidates Kim and Ahn were the most noticeable. Ahn's supporters wore baseball jackets with '170V Ahn Cheol-soo' on the back and 'Total Victory in the General Election Ahn Cheol-soo' on the front. They waved yellow and pink balloon sticks and some supporters beat drums in rhythm. Placards and banners bore slogans such as 'Busan's Son Ahn Cheol-soo is the One!' and 'Competent and Clean Ahn Cheol-soo.' Some supporters even wore masks of Ahn's face.

Kim's supporters also showed their strength. They shouted "Kim Ki-hyun" loudly both inside and outside the venue. Especially in the corridor right in front of the venue, supporters held banners on both sides, making it difficult to find space to step. The banners and placards read 'Future Hope Kim Ki-hyun,' 'Power of Party Members! Kim Ki-hyun,' and 'Winning Kim Ki-hyun, Proud People Power Party.'

Chun's supporters held placards that read 'Irresistible Reform Chun.A.Yong.In' and sang cheering songs with lyrics like "We love you, party members," and "We love you, people."

Supporters of candidate Hwang Kyo-ahn emphasized "Hwang Kyo-ahn Party Leader" in rhythm with pungmul (traditional Korean percussion) performances. In the lively atmosphere, Hwang's supporters danced and waved placards that read "Make Hwang Kyo-ahn Party Leader!"

Meanwhile, the Bu-Ul-Gyeong electorate accounts for 18.64%, the third-largest after Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK) at 21.03% and Gyeonggi at 18.71%.

On the afternoon of the 14th, supporters of Ahn Cheol-soo, a candidate for the party leader of the People Power Party, were cheering by beating drums in front of the Busan Port International Exhibition & Convention Center, where the joint speech meeting for the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions was held. (Photo by Asia Economy DB)

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