Former presidents hit the campaign trail for PPP in final local election push

By Jung Seok-jun, The Herald Business

The People Power Party is throwing its weight behind a roster of conservative heavyweights in a final campaign push ahead of the June 3 local elections. While party insiders are counting on the move to consolidate the conservative base, some analysts warn it may do little to win over moderate voters.

Former presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, along with former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min, have made a series of campaign appearances for PPP candidates during the election period. With the last weekend before the vote focused on competitive districts, the party is working to rally conservative support.

Lee visited Seoul Forest in Seongdong-gu on Sunday, mingling with residents and drumming up support for the PPP. "We need to elect mayors and district mayors who get things done," he said. "When people who are all talk and play politics take charge, the region doesn't develop."

On Saturday, Lee traveled to Busan, where he visited a pork soup restaurant with PPP Busan mayoral candidate Park Heong-joon and by-election candidate Park Min-sik for the city's northern Gab district. "I have been through many elections myself, but I came here with a special affection for the Busan mayoral race," Lee said at the campaign event. "This June 3 election is also the first time I have picked up a microphone."

Park Geun-hye has been making the rounds through the Chungcheong, Yeongnam and Gangwon regions. On Saturday, she visited Seomun Market in Daegu, shaking hands with residents to support PPP Daegu mayoral candidate Choo Kyung-ho. "I know very well how difficult things have been as Daegu's economy has struggled recently," she said. "I believe the person who becomes mayor this time must be someone who can revive Daegu's economy."

Former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min also campaigned Saturday in Mapo-gu, Seoul, in support of PPP Seoul city council candidates Lee Min-sik and Lee Hyo-won. Yoo had earlier attended the campaign launch of PPP Seoul mayoral candidate Oh Se-hoon to declare his support, and had also stumped for PPP Gyeonggi Province gubernatorial candidate Yang Hyang-ja.

Kim Moon-soo, the PPP's presidential candidate and former minister of employment and labor, has been fielding invitations from across the country since the early days of the campaign. He serves as honorary campaign committee chairman in Busan, Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province and Gangwon Province. On Saturday, he traveled to Buyeo in South Chungcheong Province to support PPP by-election candidate Yoon Yong-geun in the Gongju-Buyeo-Cheongyang race. "What matters is not the party label, but who will look after the region and follow through to the end," he said.

Opinions are divided in political circles over the PPP's strategy of deploying conservative stalwarts. While the approach may help energize the party's core supporters, analysts say it has limited appeal to moderate voters. Some observers note that the tactic of putting figures from past conservative administrations front and center could backfire, particularly as the PPP has been working to broaden its centrist appeal since the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Park Sung-hoon, the PPP central campaign committee's communications chief, said at a National Assembly briefing on May 30 that the two former presidents were serving as a rallying point for conservatives and sending a powerful message to "shy conservatives" who had been hesitant to vote. "They are giving conservative voters a reason to go to the polls," he said.

PPP party leader Jang Dong-hyeok wrote on Facebook that Park Geun-hye was traveling the country and meeting people everywhere, drawing large, welcoming crowds. "The election tide is turning, so the Democratic Party of Korea has started a free-for-all of empty words," he wrote. "Party leader Jung Chung-rae is baselessly attacking her, saying she has no shame."

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo struck a different note, writing on Facebook on Sunday that former presidents should be working toward national unity. "What the former presidents are doing now is not befitting of former presidents," he said.

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Park Ji-won, appearing on SBS Radio on Sunday, criticized both former presidents. "Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak are people who should be in prison — they were all pardoned and released, so they should be contributing to democracy and showing remorse," he said. "Their arrogant behavior is an act of contempt toward our people and history."