Park Geun-hye to visit Daejeon candidate's campaign office 20 years after 'Queen of Elections' moment

Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye is set to visit the election office of Lee Jang-woo, a candidate for mayor of Daejeon, on May 25. This move comes shortly after her appearance at a market in Daegu alongside Choo Kyung-ho, a candidate for mayor there, which marked her first foray into a public campaign event since her impeachment and departure from office. Park's supporters see her involvement as a potential boost to Lee's campaign, particularly given his past loyalty and opposition to her impeachment.

The visit to Daejeon carries symbolic weight for Park. In 2006, during the local elections, she was famously attacked with a box cutter during a rally in Seoul. Her immediate question upon being taken to the hospital was "What about Daejeon?" This phrase became a rallying cry, galvanizing conservative support and contributing to the Grand National Party's (predecessor to the People Power Party) victory in the Daejeon mayoral race. The incident cemented her image as the "Queen of Elections."

While Park's supporters anticipate a positive impact on Lee's campaign, some observers suggest her influence might be limited outside the Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK) region, where she retains strong support. Her decision to campaign in Daejeon, a region beyond TK, is her first such move since her impeachment. She is also scheduled to visit the birthplace of her mother, Yuk Young-soo, in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, before heading to Daejeon. The People Power Party hopes her presence will help rally voters for Lee, who has been a staunch supporter of Park.