Two weeks ahead of the 6.3 presidential election, Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party candidate, continued his concentrated campaign in Seoul for two consecutive days. Throughout the campaign, he repeatedly mentioned Lee Jae-myung's "bulletproof politics" and raised the intensity of his negative attacks.
◇Opening his jacket and saying, “I don’t need a bulletproof vest”… targeting Lee Jae-myung with "bulletproof glass"
At 2:40 p.m. in front of exit 1 of the Seoul Seocho-gu Express Bus Terminal, Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, stood in front of supporters covered with red placards and flags. He emphasized politics without "bulletproof" measures.
"I did not wear a bulletproof vest. I do not need bulletproof glass or bulletproof legislation!"
While shouting this loudly, Kim opened his jacket. This was a critique of Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea, who has worn a bulletproof vest and installed bulletproof glass at recent campaign events citing personal safety concerns.
He shouted, "How many crimes must one have committed to not only wear a bulletproof vest but also put bulletproof glass in front of them and create bulletproof laws? Is it acceptable for someone to try to protect themselves by completely manipulating the Supreme Court?"
This was met with applause and cheers. Citizens passing by the express bus terminal also stopped and looked.
Earlier, at a campaign site in the Namdu-gol neighborhood market in Gangseo-gu, Kim also opened the zipper of his beige jacket and appealed to supporters, asking, "Why would I wear a bulletproof vest?"
At a subsequent rally in Songpa-gu, he shouted, "With the bulletproof vest, bulletproof glass, and bulletproof legislation, the three bulletproof components, you should send such a bulletproof candidate to a safe and comfortable place with your precious vote, right? A person with many crimes should not wear a bulletproof vest but should sit in the safest prison instead."
At a campaign in the southern intersection near the Gwangjin Bridge, he said, "If the Presidential Security Service gives security to the person wearing a bulletproof vest (candidate Lee Jae-myung), then they also need to provide it for me to be fair. (But) I said I do not need a bodyguard."
He said, "No matter how many layers of bulletproof vests I wear, a person who has committed crimes will feel anxious, but I am comfortable without a bulletproof vest and still ride the subway now." In response, supporters chanted "Kim Moon-soo.'
Kim mentioned the importance of the Korea-U.S. alliance and targeted Lee Jae-myung again. He said, "The person wearing a bulletproof vest said that North Korea built a fortification along the military demarcation line because they might drive tanks into South Korea. Isn’t that something a spokesperson for Kim Jong-un would say?" This provoked the conservative supporters.
◇In front of ten million voters… “Winning Seoul's public sentiment means winning the presidency”
The political landscape in Seoul is complex. In the eight presidential elections held since the restoration of direct elections in 1987, there has only been one instance where the candidate who won in Seoul lost the presidency, in the 18th presidential election. This indicates its symbolic and strategic importance as a battleground.
In previous elections, Seoul's voters have swung between conservative and progressive camps. In the 1997 presidential election, Kim Dae-jung's victory in Seoul laid the foundation for a change of government, and in 2002, Roh Moo-hyun recorded a uniform vote ratio across Seoul despite being at a disadvantage in the Gangnam belt and was elected.
In 2012, Park Geun-hye narrowly led Moon Jae-in in Seoul, successfully entering the Blue House, while in the 2017 election, Moon Jae-in secured 42.3% in Seoul, leading to an overall victory. In the 2022 presidential election, Yoon Suk-yeol defeated Lee Jae-myung by a margin of 4.83 percentage points in Seoul.
In past nationwide elections, Seoul's voters also fluctuated. In the 2018 local elections and the 2020 general elections, held after the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye, the Democratic Party dominated all regions of Seoul except for the Gangnam area.
Subsequently, the conservative bloc regained superiority in the 2021 by-election and the 2022 presidential election as the Moon Jae-in government's real estate policies took a hit. However, in the 2023 Gangseo by-election and the 2024 general election, the Democratic Party achieved a landslide victory again.
Seoul also holds significant political symbolism. It leads public opinion among ten million voters and has a strong issue spillover effect, making it a major battleground in every nationwide election. This is why each candidate's campaign teams are intensifying their efforts in the heart of Seoul and major commercial districts, two weeks ahead of the presidential election.
◇Small business owners out at the rally in response to Lee's ‘coffee cost’ comments… Ambiguous voters say, “Neither candidate is appealing”
At the campaign sites in front of the express bus terminal and in Gwangjin-gu, a strong supporting crowd had gathered. The Korean and American flags were seen, and large red flags with phrases such as "Yugsa Veterans National Unity Association," "Defending a Free Republic of Korea," and "Unified President" were fluttering.
A 62-year-old woman named Yoon Moon-ja, who attended a "no to impeachment" rally in front of the residence of former President Yoon in Hannam-dong last December, said, "I came out here because I was so angry about the Democratic Party's misbehavior. A person like Kim Moon-soo must run for us to sleep comfortably. I don’t understand how the Democratic Party elevated someone like Lee Jae-myung to a candidate. Just talking easily like Lee Jae-myung is of no use at all. The candidate should be seated based on their life history."
Yoon said she is planning to follow Kim's next campaign while eating kimbap at the rally.
There were also small business owners who came out in response to Lee Jae-myung's comment about the "cost of coffee being 120 won."
A 47-year-old woman named Lee said, "I threw down my business to come out here. I was against Lee Jae-myung's populism as it defied common sense, but I was shocked by his comment about coffee being 120 won. That reflects a lack of understanding about common people's prices and their economy."
Kim, a 37-year-old woman who runs a small business, added, "How will people think going forward? They'll think coffee is a highly profitable business. Politicians' words should carry weight, but inconsistencies shouldn't be acceptable."
However, there were quite a few voters who said they had no candidate to vote for in this election.
Ko, a 58-year-old resident operating a hardware store at the Gwangjin intersection, said, "Neither candidate (Kim Moon-soo and Lee Jae-myung) appeals to me," while shaking his head, adding, "I was thinking of voting for Han Dong-hoon, but..." He continued, "I think both candidates have many issues with their character."
Ko said, "Kim Moon-soo has called 119 to state his name and has changed his stance on unification," and added, "I don’t think Lee Jae-myung has basic common sense."
Regarding Lee Jae-myung's "coffee cost" statement, he pointed out, "It's not the case that the cost is low, and if someone says that, it makes it hard for people like us to make a living. That's not the cost; it's the value of the items. I think he spoke incorrectly."
Park, a 46-year-old office worker who watched Kim's rally, mentioned, "I was quite disappointed during Yoon Suk-yeol's presidency, so honestly, the People Power Party feels a bit off to me. But it's not that I absolutely dislike it; I just wanted to hear the speech once."
About Lee Jae-myung, they said, "There are many legal complaints against him. I feel that frequently impeaching public officials is a bit too much," and added that they have not yet made up their mind.