Park Geun-hye Heads to Daejeon: Lee Jang-woo Gains Support as Conservative Unity Becomes a Key Factor

First Public Campaign Appearance Since 2017

Could This Sway Voters in Chungcheong?

Former President Park Geun-hye is set to support Lee Jang-woo, the People Power Party candidate for mayor of Daejeon, ten days ahead of the June 3 local elections. Attention is focused on whether Park’s visit to Daejeon will help rally conservative voters in the final stage of the campaign.

According to Lee’s campaign on the 24th, Park is scheduled to visit Lee’s election headquarters in Tanbang-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, on the afternoon of the 25th. A campaign official stated, “I understand that she is visiting Lee because she personally regards him as a trustworthy politician.”

Lee previously opposed the impeachment motion against Park during his term as a National Assembly member in 2016. Daejeon also has political ties to Park.

Former President Park Geun-hye is greeting merchants at Chilseong Market in Buk-gu, Daegu on the 23rd to campaign in support of Chu Kyung-ho, the People Power Party candidate for mayor of Daegu. Photo by Yonhap News

It was reported that in 2006, when Park was the leader of the Grand National Party (the predecessor of the People Power Party), she asked her aides, “What about Daejeon?” as her first words after being discharged from the hospital following the box cutter attack during a local election campaign. Immediately after being discharged, she went straight to Daejeon to campaign, and the mayoral race—which the Grand National Party had been losing at the time—was overturned in the final days.

On the 23rd, Park visited Chilseong Market in Daegu to support Chu Kyung-ho, the People Power Party candidate for mayor of Daegu. This was her first appearance at a campaign rally since her impeachment in 2017.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.