Kim Moonsu Heads to Pyeongtaek, Kim Yongtae to Turtle Island... People Power Party Launches All-Out Offensive Against Lee Jaemyung
by Lee Kimin
by Jang Bokyeong
Published 26 May.2025 11:18(KST)
Updated 26 May.2025 13:05(KST)
Kim Stresses Achievements, Frames Race as Leadership Contest with Lee
Pledges Constitutional Amendment for Significant Decentralization of Local Authority
Kim Moonsu, the People Power Party presidential candidate, is scheduled on the 26th to visit the Pyeongtaek US military base, a symbol of the South Korea-US alliance, as well as the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus, which he considers his greatest achievement during his tenure as the 32nd and 33rd governor of Gyeonggi Province.
Separate from his pledges to strengthen the South Korea-US alliance and foster the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, this move appears to be a strategy to create a contest of achievements and leadership with Lee Jaemyung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate and former 35th governor of Gyeonggi Province.
On this day, Kim Moonsu will announce his pledge for a "New Era of Local Autonomy Nationwide" at the Chungnam Provincial Party office in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do in the morning, and after carrying out his campaign schedule, he will visit the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus in the afternoon.
At the site, Kim Moonsu plans to repeatedly emphasize his achievements as governor of Gyeonggi Province and highlight his differences from Lee Jaemyung in an effort to persuade voters.
On May 23, Kim Moonsu referred to Lee Jaemyung's past remarks describing the US military in Korea as an occupying force after liberation, and demanded an apology via Facebook.
During the second TV debate held on the same day, Kim also attacked Lee, who was the victim of a stabbing attack in Busan in January last year, by asking, "Why did you go to Seoul National University Hospital instead of Seongnam Medical Center, which you promoted as your achievement?"
Afterwards, Kim Moonsu plans to visit Osan and Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, areas with strong Democratic Party support, and then hold intensive campaign rallies in Banghak-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul, targeting the Nowon, Dobong, and Gangbuk regions to win over voters.
On the 23rd, at the KBS studio in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, before the debate for the 21st presidential election candidates hosted by the National Election Broadcasting Debate Commission, Lee Jaemyung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate (left), and Kim Moonsu, the People Power Party presidential candidate, are greeting each other. 2025.5.23 Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group
원본보기 아이콘Kim Yongtae, the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee Chairman, will also visit the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus on the same day as Kim Moonsu, but before that, he will inspect the Wave Park in Turtle Island, Siheung, a site of ongoing political debate between the Democratic Party and the People Power Party.
Previously, on May 24, Lee Jaemyung emphasized during a campaign stop in Siheung that "the mayor of Siheung and I enticed companies to move to Turtle Island in Gyeonggi Province, and expedited the permitting and construction process so that it was completed in just two years."
On the same day, at the People Power Party's election strategy committee meeting at the National Assembly, Chairman Kim criticized, "By claiming that the cost of coffee is only 120 won, Lee distorted the reality for small business owners. While boasting about the achievements of the Wave Park in Turtle Island, he ignored the tragedy of Turtle Island, where the vacancy rate of commercial properties is 87%."
In response, the Democratic Party argued, "The Turtle Island project was designated as a national marina port in 2015," and stated, "This project was carried out during the administrations of former President Park Geunhye and former Gyeonggi Governor Nam Kyungpil."
Meanwhile, Kim Moonsu has repeatedly pledged constitutional amendments to stipulate that "the Republic of Korea is a decentralized state," and to transfer legislative, fiscal, and planning autonomy to local governments.
To support this, he has proposed establishing four major metropolitan regions: the Chungcheong region (Daejeon, Sejong, Chungbuk, Chungnam), the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, the Gwangju-Jeonnam region, and the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region. He also plans to promote financial support and specialized development for three special autonomous regions: Gangwon, Jeonbuk, and Jeju.
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