Kim Bu-kyum's 'Daegu Transformation' Falls Short Amid Conservative Rally

Kim Bu-kyum, the Democratic Party's candidate for Daegu mayor, ultimately lost the race despite an early lead, a defeat attributed to a late surge in conservative voter consolidation. The election outcome was influenced by a series of controversies surrounding the ruling party, including a push for a special prosecutor to investigate alleged prosecutorial misconduct and a boycott movement against Starbucks, which critics argued galvanized conservative voters.

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If you are not going to abandon the comrades who are suffering and running here, please do it cautiously.

While Kim secured the highest vote share for a Democratic Party-aligned candidate in Daegu's mayoral history, he was ultimately surpassed by the People Power Party's Chu Kyung-ho. Chu received 702,421 votes (53.9%) compared to Kim's 586,927 (45.1%). Kim had attempted to appeal to Daegu voters by framing his candidacy as a 'three-birds-one-stone' strategy: checking the Democratic Party, fostering healthy conservatism, and revitalizing the Daegu economy.

Kim publicly expressed reservations about the special prosecutor bill, urging party members to proceed with caution. He also distanced himself from the Starbucks boycott, stating that government or political pressure on specific companies or consumer choices was inappropriate. However, these efforts were insufficient to counter the growing momentum behind Chu.

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The government or the political sphere should not move towards a situation where they publicly pressure a specific company or criticize consumption itself.

The involvement of former President Park Geun-hye in campaigning for Chu on two separate occasions is seen as having provided a crucial boost to conservative unity. An aide to Kim's campaign suggested that Park's appearances motivated traditional conservative voters, who might have otherwise abstained due to dissatisfaction with the People Power Party leadership, to cast their ballots. The election in Daegu recorded its highest-ever turnout at 64.2%, exceeding the national average, indicating a high level of engagement from both major party bases and a portion of centrist voters who ultimately favored Chu.

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It seems to have had the effect of bringing traditional conservative voters, who might have considered not voting due to dissatisfaction with the People Power Party leadership, to the polling stations.