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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Parties show humility in final appeals to voters, even as attacks on rivals continue

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • South Korea's major political parties are making final appeals to voters with messages of humility ahead of local elections and by-elections.
  • Both the ruling Democratic Party and the opposition People Power Party (PPP) are urging members to avoid arrogance and demonstrate earnestness.
  • Despite calls for humility, party leaders continue to attack rivals, with the Democratic Party leader referencing pardoned former presidents and the PPP criticizing the ruling party's policies.

With South Korea's local elections and National Assembly by-elections just two days away, the Democratic Party and the People Power Party (PPP) are issuing final appeals to the public, emphasizing humility and earnestness. The Democratic Party's campaign headquarters has entered a 60-hour "high alert" period, instructing all members to avoid any words or actions perceived as smug or arrogant.

strictly avoid any words or actions that could be regarded as smugness or arrogance and to communicate the party’s earnestness to voters with modesty and humility.

— Democratic Party campaign headquartersInstructions given to party members during the final hours before the elections.

The PPP is also adopting a more apologetic tone. Party floor leader Rep. Song Eon-seog acknowledged the party has "fallen short" and expressed remorse. However, he also urged voters to "put the brakes on the ruling party, which is drunk off its taste of power." Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig added that the PPP is committed to "turning over a new leaf with a spirit of humility."

We’re aware that the People Power Party is viewed as having fallen short. That’s something we feel sorry and remorseful about.

— Rep. Song Eon-seogThe PPP floor leader acknowledges the party's shortcomings.

Beneath this rhetoric of humility, inter-party attacks continue. Democratic Party leader Rep. Jung Chung-rae framed the election as a prelude to rising above societal ills and "forces of the insurrection." He also referred to pardoned former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, along with the imprisoned former President Yoon Suk-yeol, as "three jailbirds" that need to be "stamped out."

Shouldn’t we put the brakes on the ruling party, which is drunk off its taste of power?

— Rep. Song Eon-seogThe PPP floor leader criticizes the ruling party's perceived arrogance.

PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk responded on Facebook, calling Jung Chung-rae's remarks "arrogant and insultingly out-of-touch." He accused the Democrats of pursuing "ruinous policies" and criticized their perceived arrogance, particularly referencing Jung's comment about voting for Democrats if one has profited from the stock market.

This election will be the grand prelude to enabling our country to rise above the moth-eaten old ways, the evils besetting our society, and the forces of the insurrection.

— Rep. Jung Chung-raeThe Democratic Party leader frames the election in strong, critical terms.
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Originally published by Hankyoreh. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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