Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate, visited Gyeongbuk, known as a 'rough territory' for the party, to appeal for support and to break down regional sentiment. He emphasized that the negative evaluations some residents of Gyeongbuk have of him are due to fake news and information distortion.
The candidate continued his 'listening tour' on the morning of the 4th near the citizens' gymnasium in Yeongju, Gyeongbuk, for the fourth day. The listening tour was conducted by visiting residents and small business owners in locales such as Yeongju and Yecheon in Gyeongbuk, Danyang and Jecheon in Chungbuk, and Yeongwol in Gangwon.
The candidate appeared at the Yeongju Confucian Culture Festival event around 10 a.m. wearing a light green jumper. As supporters chanted his name, 'Lee Jae-myung,' he responded, 'Is this a welcome because it's my hometown? Will it be different this time?' He signed books for citizens who brought his book, 'Ultimately, the People Will Decide,' but respectfully declined requests for handshakes.
The candidate pointed to 'fake news' as a cause for the weak support in Gyeongbuk. He said, 'Even though Gyeongbuk is my hometown, there are occasionally people who cast me sidelong glances. I've done nothing wrong,' adding, 'I've faced all sorts of slanders; if there were anything, would I have come this far?'
He continued, 'However, there are many who harbor ill feelings toward me. I believe it is because information has been distorted. What kind of feud do I have with those people?' He emphasized, 'Information is important. We must eradicate fake information and fake news. We need to circulate real information and truth.'
Before leaving Yeongju, the candidate told supporters, 'No matter where the region is or what the color is, what truly matters is the lives of our people.' He said, 'It doesn’t matter if politicians ruin the country for personal gain or destroy the constitutional order; if they say that it’s okay as long as they share the same color, then what are politicians doing for the people?'
He added, 'There’s something strange. The more a party concentrates power in a certain region, the less the regional economy thrives.' He questioned, 'If they believe they will be elected unconditionally just by receiving the party’s nomination, then why would they use the power they received for the people?'
Following Yeongju, the candidate held a meeting to listen to the difficulties of small business owners and residents in the Yecheon County of Gyeongbuk. He asserted that Gyeongbuk's 'concrete support base' must be eliminated.
He stated, 'In some regions, regardless of whether they do well or cause insurrections or riots, they are supported unconditionally. Therefore, there is no need to work for the local residents.' He said, 'When electing a president, we really need to examine whether a person is loyal and capable, regardless of color, region, or kinship.'