“I think they might do well because they are young, but it seems a bit early for them to be in politics.” (60s vegetable seller Lee Mo)
“It’s time for a change. I hope a young person without any faults, unlike the People Power Party, gets a chance.” (40s herbal medicine shop owner Lee Mo)
Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate of the Reform Party, visited the Cheonan Central Market in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on the 16th to conduct focused campaigning. Historically, due to its strong centrist tendencies, the Chungcheong region has played a 'casting vote' role in presidential elections characterized by a rivalry between the Yeongnam and Honam regions. As Lee Jun-seok is affiliated with the three parties, he needs to actively target the centrist voters to increase his support.
Cheonan is the center of South Chungcheong Province, and particularly, the Cheonan Central Market is a popular site visited by numerous politicians during election seasons. Last year, Han Dong-hoon, then the chairman of the emergency countermeasures committee of the People Power Party, also visited this place. Former President Yoon Seok-youl also visited here during his candidacy in the 2021 presidential election, and in 2022, Lee Jae-myung, then the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, visited as part of his public livelihood tour to rally party members.
In fact, candidates chosen in the Chungcheong region have consistently gained advantageous positions in elections. During the 20th presidential election, Yoon Seok-youl defeated then-Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung with a narrow margin in votes, winning in North Chungcheong (50.67%), South Chungcheong (51.08%), and Daejeon (49.55%), except for Sejong City (44.14%).
In the 19th presidential election, former President Moon Jae-in overwhelmingly won with a vote rate of 40.43% in the Chungcheong region, defeating Hong Joon-pyo, then the candidate of the Liberty Korea Party, who secured 23.54%.
On that day, the candidate focused all efforts to secure local support by visiting Dankook University Cheonan Campus, South Chungcheong Provincial Office, and the Cheonan Central Market.
◇ “The Democratic Party stabilizes the government” “The People Power Party will revive the economy”… generally solid support for both parties
However, the sentiment of the citizens in South Chungcheong they met that day seemed largely divided between the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party. A 70s citizen, Choi Mo, who visited the market that day, said, “This time I plan to vote for candidate Lee Jae-myung,” adding, “I liked that the presidency was stable during the terms of the progressive presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in.”
Choi said, “I think highly of Lee Jun-seok, but he is still young and it seems like it’s not the right time for him to be in politics. This time, I want to firmly support candidate Lee Jae-myung.”
A 70s clothing store owner, Kim Mo, said, “I intend to vote for candidate Lee Jae-myung,” noting that he has had a variety of political experiences while struggling and has an image as an administrative expert. Kim added, “I think Lee Jun-seok needs to gain more experience; it seems too early for him to be president.”
A 50s merchant who introduced himself as a member of the People Power Party, Kim Mo, said, “This time too, I intend to support the conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo. Generally, the economy has thrived when conservative parties are in power,” adding, “Although Lee Jun-seok is young and smart, it seems still too early for him, and he might divide the conservative votes and weaken the momentum.”
A 60s Korean restaurant owner, Kim Mo, said, “I dislike the Democratic Party for putting forward candidates with former charges, so I intend to vote for candidate Kim Moon-soo,” and added, “I don’t like how Lee Jun-seok seems to be taking votes away from the People Power Party and hindering conservative unity.”
◇ “Disappointment in the People Power Party during the impeachment era” “Young people should give it a try”… supporters of Lee Jun-seok are emerging
However, citizens supporting Lee Jun-seok were not hard to find. A 60s citizen, Kim Mo, who visited the market with his son in his 30s, said, “I was disappointed with the People Power Party during the impeachment era,” noting, “Now a new president who can fight for young people like my son needs to emerge.”
A 40s merchant, Lee Mo, said, “I felt betrayed by the People Power Party for not apologizing for their wrongs during the martial law and impeachment era,” adding, “I appreciated how Lee Jun-seok expressed what is right and wrong with clear standards.”
Lee added, “Our generation has little time left, but we must now think about the next generation. The economy needs to be revived,” and suggested, “Both the People Power Party and the Democratic Party are only talking about each other's wrongdoings, but I see it as an opportunity to rebuild Korean politics.”