Ten days before the presidential election on the 24th, Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party presidential candidate, focused on rallying conservative support through intensive campaigning in the conservative stronghold of the Gyeongsangbuk-do region. While the grassroots sentiment was that the support rate for Kim has increased from the early stages, there was still a prevailing veto sentiment among voters, with many saying, 'There is no one to vote for, so I won't go to the polls.'
◇“Many people are saying they won't vote” “But we must stop Lee Jae-myung”
About an hour before Kim appeared at the campaign venue, voices calling for the People Power Party to wake up were heard near the rally stage set up in front of the Taegeuk Party on Bonyeong-ro in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. A local taxi driver, Seo Byeong-tae (63, male), conversing with a friend, said, 'As you know, there are a lot of red here. However, listening to the customers, there are more people saying they won't vote because they have no candidate they like compared to previous years.'
Regarding Kim, he noted, 'Personally, I think he is a little weak in competing with Lee Jae-myung. He seems stronger than before, but.' He added, 'I wish he had spoken more strongly in yesterday's (23rd) debate. His voice should be louder, and when he needs to assert himself, he should do so clearly, but I didn't like his quiet explanations.'
He added, 'We hope for unification. If it happens with Lee Jun-seok from the Reform Party, many people think they will support him.'
With the presidential election just ten days away, a sense of urgency felt among conservatives was also detected.
Listening to the election song 'Gale Force' that was playing, Park Mo (67, male), who was sitting near the campaign truck, said, '(Kim) initially did not have a famous name, so it was a bit disappointing, but after watching the debate, I found him to be competent.' He continued, 'Once a candidate is selected, it is only natural to support them. At first, I was disappointed with the People Power Party due to the unification talks with Han Duck-soo. But these days, it seems that the support rate has risen significantly.'
◇“For the son of Gyeongsangbuk-do, even 30%... Many people say they will vote for the person”
Just a block away from the People Power Party rally stage in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, a truck for the Democratic Party of Korea was also visible.
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Seo Young-kyo firmly gripped the microphone and said, 'What has the People Power Party done here that voters keep supporting them? This time, please consider voting for Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea. If you vote for Lee Jae-myung, won't Gyeongsangbuk-do also change? If we keep voting for the People Power Party, isn't Yoon Seok-yeol declaring a national emergency?' She appealed, 'Please give at least 30% to the son of Gyeongsangbuk-do!'
Despite her heartfelt appeal, there were only about ten supporters in front of the campaign truck. Some among them held signs saying 'Now is Lee Jae-myung' and gave thumbs up to Lawmaker Seo.
Park Ji-sook (60, female), who said she also supported this candidate in the last 20th presidential election, stated, 'I have a sense of trust that this candidate will listen to every word of the people.' She further noted, 'Looking at the examples of the mayor of Seongnam and the governor of Gyeonggi-do, I feel that such a person is needed in public service. Whether one can read or doesn't matter; whether they farm or are a lawyer, I believe everyone should have this perspective to build trust.' She criticized the state of emergency, saying, 'How can one point guns at the people?' and added, 'The only person who can settle this is Lee Jae-myung.'
Regarding Kim, he shook his head and said, 'He has been in this field for 40 years but hasn't earned trust. He also mistakenly said Kim Gu was a Chinese person.' He added, 'Now, moving beyond red and blue, there are many people saying they will vote for the person. (Here), many elderly people quietly say, 'Don't worry, I will vote for number one.'
◇People Power Party “Let's create momentum with Kim Moon-soo's rising support rate”
On this day, Kim conducted an intense campaign schedule by visiting seven locations (Yeongju, Andong, Sangju, Gimcheon, Gumi, Chilgok-gun) in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region. He visited the birthplace of former President Park Chung-hee and met with former President Park Geun-hye, asking her to 'help with the election.' With the presidential election approaching in ten days, this move is interpreted as an effort to rally the conservative support base.
In particular, the People Power Party has reported that the recent upward trend in support for Kim is continuing, and has set an electoral strategy to focus on campaigning in Gyeongsangbuk-do and Chungcheong regions this weekend, aiming for a 'golden cross' before the early voting day.
Shin Dong-uk, spokesperson for the central election committee, met with reporters that day and said, 'Starting from the latter half of last week, Kim's approval ratings began to rise sharply. If unification occurs, we can overturn the situation sufficiently.' He added, 'This weekend, we will focus on campaigning in the Yeongnam region to create a golden cross.'
On the 25th, Kim is expected to focus on campaigning in the Chungcheong region, which has historically played the role of a 'casting vote' in presidential elections. He will begin with a visit to the birthplace of Lee Kyung-soo and announce defense pledges at the military experience center in Gyeryong, Chungnam. He will also continue street campaigning in Nonsan, Gongju, Boryung, Hongseong, Seosan, Dangjin, and Asan.