Namyangju Mayoral Candidate Joo Kwangdeok Urges Jang Donghyuk to Step Back from Front Line

Joo Kwangdeok, the People Power Party candidate for Mayor of Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province, made a bold move on the 11th by announcing that he would forfeit his registration as a local election candidate unless the party leadership undergoes a complete overhaul and Representative Jang Donghyuk steps back from the front line.

Joo Kwangduk, a preliminary candidate for mayor of Namyangju City from the People Power Party, is holding a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Center on the 11th. Photo by Yonhap News.

On this day, Candidate Joo held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Center, stating, "Our party is currently facing a dire reality in which it has lost even the strength to fight back against the relentless political offensives of the Democratic Party. For the very survival of the party and the future of the Republic of Korea, I earnestly implore Representative Jang Donghyuk to make a life-or-death decision and step back from the front line."

Candidate Joo likened the current situation to a "burning ship," strongly criticizing the political judgment and response of the party leadership. He specifically pointed to the attitudes displayed by the leadership at a recent foreign press conference and the divisions within the conservative bloc, stating, "Candidates on the ground are shedding tears of blood every day, battered by the bitter winds of public opinion."

He referenced "Jibusangso" (the act of submitting a petition while carrying an axe) by Jo Heon, a Confucian scholar during the Joseon Dynasty, emphasizing, "This is not an act of internal sabotage to shake the party, but rather a final act of loyalty to save the collapsing party and nation."

The core demands put forward by Candidate Joo are: ▲ the official step-back of Representative Jang Donghyuk from the front line, and ▲ the immediate launch of a "Grand Integration Election Committee" to lead conservative unity and broaden the party's base.

The most dramatic moment was his conditional declaration that he would forfeit his candidacy, effectively putting his "political life" on the line.

Candidate Joo declared, "If these earnest demands are not accepted, I will not register as a candidate in this local election." This is seen as an ultimatum to the party leadership, signifying his willingness to give up even a district where he has a high chance of winning.

He appealed to the sincerity of his decision, saying, "This is by no means an act of self-preservation by jumping into the sea alone. It is like sounding the alarm in the cockpit out of fear that we will all sink if things continue this way."

Candidate Joo reiterated his call for a historic decision from the leadership, saying, "I am deeply committed to fulfilling my promise of 'Imagination Beyond Imagination Namyangju' to the citizens of Namyangju, but in a situation where the party is dying and the nation is at risk, personal victory is meaningless."

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