Park Hyeong-ryong urges voters: 'Try me for 2 years — I'll change Daegu's economic report card'

By Kim Do-yoon, The Herald Business

Park Hyeong-ryong, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate in the National Assembly by-election for Daegu's Dalseong-gun, is making a final push for votes ahead of the June 3 local elections.

Park visited Hwawon Market in Dalseong-gun on Sunday, appealing to residents for their support. "Eleven of Daegu's 12 Assembly members belong to the People Power Party," he said. "I have spent the past seven years covering every corner of Dalseong, refining policy. Please vote for me — a candidate from the ruling party who can actually deliver the budget."

Joining him at the Hwawon five-day market that day were former National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, lawmaker Park Ju-min and lawmaker Ko Min-jung, all of whom took the stage in support.

"Park Hyeong-ryong has been knocked down six times in Daegu and never left — that determination is real," Woo said. "The ruling party will pull together and take clear responsibility for Dalseong's budget to keep Park Hyeong-ryong's promises."

Park also made a direct pitch to skeptical voters. "The term of the Assembly member elected in this by-election is only two years," he said. "Give me two years as your servant — if I fail to deliver, you can judge me harshly at the general election two years from now, and it won't be too late."

He also took aim at People Power Party candidate Lee Jin-suk. "What good does sending one more fighter do for Dalseong-gun?" Park said. "What Daegu's stagnant economy needs right now is not a political warrior to brawl on the national stage, but an economic workhorse who will bring back even one more thing for Dalseong-gun."

Park had been scheduled to hold a policy forum on Dalseong development with Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae at around 3 p.m. that day, but canceled the event following the explosion at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon factory.

On Tuesday, the day before the vote, Park plans to begin the morning with greetings at the Posan-go intersection in Dalseong-gun before wrapping up his campaign at the Daesil Station intersection on Daegu Metro Line 2.