“I sincerely feel remorseful whenever I walk as the presidential candidate of the People Power Party amid many difficulties. Before blaming anyone, I resolve to feel deeply responsible ourselves and do better in the future.”
Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, emphasized 'one team' alongside co-chairpersons Na Kyung-won and Ahn Cheol-soo at a concentrated rally at Seoul Station on the 19th. It has been 16 days since he was elected in the primary on the 3rd.
Han Dong-hoon, former leader of the People Power Party, and Hong Joon-pyo, former mayor of Daegu, who faced off in the second primary, as well as Han Duck-soo, former Prime Minister who had negotiated for unification, were not present at the event.
◇Emphasizing 'one team' with a deep bow... Na Kyung-won and Ahn Cheol-soo said, “The candidate to revive the economy is Kim Moon-soo.”
Around 6:35 p.m., as the sky began to darken, candidate Kim took to the podium at the Seoul Station rally. He raised both fists above his head in a victory pose and greeted supporters who were chanting “Kim Moon-soo.”
Candidate Kim then performed a 'one team victory' gesture alongside lawmakers Ahn Cheol-soo and Na Kyung-won, and along with over 20 party members and local committee chairpersons, bowed to the citizens together.
Candidate Kim stated, “Seoul Station is a place where the joys and difficulties of the Republic of Korea are shared and a great station that is connected nationwide,” and added, “However, my dream is for Seoul Station to develop even greater than Tokyo Station, and I hope that in the future it becomes a direct station that connects to Pyongyang and Manchuria.”
He raised his hand alongside Ahn and shouted, “We will become one of the world's top three AI (artificial intelligence) powerhouses.” He also aimed at Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate, stating, “(In Gyeonggi Province), the debt was only 1 trillion won, but you left it with an added 4 trillion won.”
Candidates gathered for the primary that day also supported candidate Kim. Lawmaker Na stated, “Kim Moon-soo has generated income for Gyeonggi Province, while the person who left behind debt is Lee Jae-myung,” and praised, “The person who can revive the Korean economy is candidate Kim Moon-soo.”
Lawmaker Ahn remarked, “The candidate who participated in the TV debate yesterday with the most dignity, logic, and calmness was Kim Moon-soo,” and added, “Who is the candidate who claimed the coffee price was 120 won, and who said they would spend 100 trillion won on artificial intelligence but does not know where to spend it? (That would be) Lee Jae-myung.”
◇Conservatives gathering in front of Seoul Station... Cheers erupted upon the appearance of Kwon Young-se
On that day, crowds gathered even on the stairs in front of Seoul Station. At the rally site, the Korean and U.S. flags appeared alongside flags from groups such as 'Roh Kyu-min's Comrades from the Military Academy' and 'Protect the Free Republic of Korea.' The majority were middle-aged individuals, but there were also some young people in their 20s and 30s.
A college student, Eom Tae-hwan (20 years old, male), who came out to the Seoul Station rally, said, “I feel the sincerity for the youth and believe that candidate Kim Moon-soo is the one who can protect President Yoon Suk-yeol, so I support him.”
A citizen, Kim (39 years old, female), remarked, “I was moved when candidate Kim delivered the memorial speech for President Park Chung-hee. Seeing the path this person has taken, I think they would be someone willing to risk themselves for liberal democracy.”
Even after candidate Kim left the rally site by car, shouts of “President Kim Moon-soo!” echoed around Seoul Station for a while. There were also people joyfully dancing while shouting “Kim Moon-soo.”
◇Hong Joon-pyo heads to the U.S., while individual campaigning continues in Korea... focusing on Seoul tomorrow
However, when Kwon Young-se, the former emergency committee chair, and pro-Lee Jae-myung lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin spoke, supporters reacted with shouts and insults of “shameless.”
The People Power Party is regrouping since former President Yoon Suk-yeol's departure, but it is still struggling to form a 'one team.'
Former leader of the People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, who did not appear at candidate Kim's rally at Seoul Station, will begin individual campaigning in Busan on the 20th. He plans to walk along the beach with supporters in the Suyeong District area of Busan.
On the 21st, he is expected to visit the Seomun Market in Daegu, and on the 22nd, he will visit the Yukgeori Market in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, and the Jungang Market in Wonju, Gangwon Province. Within the party, there are talks that “it’s a route based on the local districts of pro-Lee Jae-myung lawmakers. It’s a move to vie for the next party leadership.”
Meanwhile, former Mayor Hong, who expressed disappointment with the party, has traveled to Hawaii. It is reported that he did not give a clear answer regarding campaign support to lawmakers Yoo Sang-beom and Kim Dae-sik, who visited him. On that day, former Mayor Hong posted a photo of himself wearing a blue suit and tie as his Facebook profile picture but later changed it to a photo with a red tie only.
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has continued to maintain a low profile since the 'candidate replacement incident.' He reportedly declined an invitation to join the election campaign committee and expressed a refusal to participate in support speeches for candidate Kim.
The People Power Party plans to focus on boosting its approval ratings in the future.
Yoon Jae-ok, chairman of the central campaign committee, expressed his determination during a press conference that day, stating, “From today, we aim to raise our approval rating by 1 percentage point each day with the goal of achieving a golden cross before the early voting day on the 29th.”
Candidate Kim, who attended meetings with the Korean Association of Senior Citizens and the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) in Seoul that day, will continue to target the centrist and Seoul voters by visiting the Yeongdeungpo squatters' village on the 20th.