“We must create a properly functioning republic and a true South Korea.” (Lee Jae-myung, Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate)
“You say it's a true South Korea, but was everything before this a fake South Korea? Is the person making such statements a true bachelor or a false bachelor? A true prosecutor or a prosecutor impersonator?” (Kim Moon-soo, People Power Party presidential candidate)
Starting from the beginning of the second TV debate hosted by the National Election Commission on the 23rd, major presidential candidates engaged in a war of nerves.
Candidate Lee Jae-myung noted in his ‘one-minute opening statement’ that “today marks the 16th anniversary of the passing of former President Roh Moo-hyun,” adding, “He wanted a world without unfair practices and privileges, but unfair practices and privileges are still rampant. The public is shocked by the absurd situation of internal strife that undermines popular sovereignty and constitutional order.”
Candidate Kim said, “How can we talk about a true South Korea while continuing to tell lies and impersonating a prosecutor and a bachelor? Let’s eradicate the fake with our precious votes and create a truly just politics.”
Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok said, “I believe the cry of ‘I have an objection’ from President Roh Moo-hyun is a spirit that is desperately needed in our society,” and added, “In a world where I have been belittled as a kid for speaking out against the collusion of the two major parties on the national pension, the reckless spending of state finances, and conspiracy theories about rigged elections, I have lived while shouting ‘I have an objection.’”
In particular, targeting candidate Lee Jae-myung, he pointed out, “In a world where a candidate mocks the citizens questioning his pseudo-hotel economics, how can he dare mention Roh Moo-hyun? He called himself ‘foolish Roh Moo-hyun,’ but he did not disdain the public as fools.”
Democratic Labor Party candidate Kwon Young-guk directed comments at the People Power Party, saying, “Yoon Suk-yeol, who should be in prison, strolls the streets enjoying a documentary on conspiracy theories about rigged elections, and candidate Kim Moon-soo responds with, ‘Isn't it good to meet a lot of people?’ I find this absurd and infuriating. How can we talk about unity in a world filled with division and injustice?”