People Power Party Gumi Preliminary Candidates Denounce and Demand Resignation of Jang Seyong over "Park Chunghee Absurd Remarks"

Dividing Gumi Citizens
Fueling Political Conflict

On May 7, Kim Jangho, the preliminary candidate for mayor of Gumi from the People Power Party, along with preliminary candidates for city and provincial council positions, held a press conference at the birthplace of former President Park Chunghee to denounce recent remarks made by Jang Seyong, the preliminary candidate for Gumi mayor from the Democratic Party of Korea, labeling them as "absurd remarks."

A press conference condemning the recent remarks of Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate Jang Seyong as 'absurd' was held by People Power Party's Gumi mayoral candidate Kim Jangho and city and provincial assembly candidates at the birthplace of President Park Chunghee.
Photo by Lee Whan Kim

The gathered preliminary candidates from the People Power Party in Gumi sharply criticized Jang Seyong's recent statement made at an official event, in which he suggested, "South Korea was able to develop because Park Chunghee died early." They called this "not only a distortion of history but also an absurd remark," and accused him of "making a nonsensical argument that has no social consensus or logical causal relationship, and of failing to show even basic human respect to a senior from his hometown."

Kim Jangho and the other preliminary candidates for city and provincial councilors made three strong demands through their press conference statement.

Candidates for mayor of Gumi from the People Power Party including Kim Jangho, as well as candidates for city and provincial councils, held a press conference condemning recent remarks by Jang Seyong, the Democratic Party mayoral candidate for Gumi, as 'reckless remarks' at the birthplace of President Park Chung-hee.
[Photo by Kim Jangho’s campaign office]

First, they called on Jang Seyong to make a public apology before former President Park Chunghee and the citizens of Gumi, and to immediately withdraw his candidacy for mayor.

Second, they demanded that the Democratic Party of Korea and its candidates for city and provincial council positions clearly state their position on these "absurd remarks" and immediately revoke Jang Seyong's nomination.

Third, they declared that all People Power Party candidates would carry forward the spirit of industrialization represented by Park Chunghee and protect Gumi's pride by achieving an overwhelming victory in the upcoming election.

Kim Jangho emphasized, "During the 7th popularly elected administration, candidate Jang was obsessed with erasing traces of Park Chunghee, and now, once again, he is trying to divide Gumi citizens along ideological lines and fuel political conflict. We must decisively judge the forces behind these absurd remarks with an overwhelming victory in this local election, as they have deeply wounded the pride of Gumi citizens."

In response to the recent controversy over remarks related to former President Park Chunghee, Democratic Party candidate Jang Seyong stated, "I have already made it clear during my candidacy press conference that former President Park Chunghee was an innovator, a leader who lifted this country out of poverty, and a great figure from my hometown who laid the foundation for today's advanced Korea. I hope that, with this, we can put ideological debates behind us and move forward into an era of pragmatism."

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