People Power Party Orders 'Quiet' Election Campaign Following Hanwha Aerospace Accident in Daejeon

Jang Donghyuk Cancels Local Campaign Events

Urgently Instructs to Refrain from Campaign Songs and Dance Routines

The People Power Party ordered a 'quiet' election campaign on June 1, following an explosion at Hanwha Aerospace in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon that resulted in casualties.

According to the party, Jang Donghyuk, Senior Election Countermeasures Committee Chair, issued an urgent directive for all candidates and campaign teams nationwide to refrain from using campaign songs and choreographed dances, and to conduct their campaigns in a subdued manner in light of the Hanwha Aerospace accident in Daejeon. Jang also canceled all previously scheduled campaign events in Jeju and Ulsan on this day.

Yonhap News Agency

On his Facebook page, Jang stated, "I pray for the souls of those who tragically lost their lives in the accident, extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families, and wish for the speedy recovery of the injured." He added, "The government must do everything possible to promptly manage the aftermath of the accident and restore the damage."

Song Eonseok, Co-Chair of the Election Countermeasures Committee, who was scheduled to visit Daegu and other locations in Gyeonggi Province (Hwaseong and Osan) in the afternoon, also suspended his campaign activities. He said, "Candidates and the election committee in the Daejeon area must do their utmost to grasp the situation on the ground," and added, "I urge everyone to be extremely cautious and avoid any words or actions that go against public sensibility."

Lee Jangwoo, the People Power Party's candidate for Daejeon Mayor, also expressed his condolences and sympathy to the victims and their families, saying, "I will do everything in my power for accident response and a thorough investigation." He continued, "We will work closely with relevant agencies to focus all administrative resources on managing the aftermath and supporting the victims, and will quickly put in place necessary measures such as a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the accident and a full review of the safety management system."

The party's central office, along with other regions outside Daejeon, also began to scale back campaign activities. The campaign team for Oh Sehoon, candidate for Seoul Mayor, temporarily postponed a scheduled press briefing in the afternoon. The People Power Party's Seoul Metropolitan Chapter stated, "Please stop using campaign songs and dances in campaign vehicles while the accident is being handled and rescue operations are ongoing," and urged, "Focus on calm campaigning and election activities via phone calls and text messages."

Yoo Euidong, candidate for the National Assembly by-election in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, stated, "I pray for those who lost their precious lives in this unexpected accident." He added, "I will suspend the planned major rallies and instead visit residents quietly and with humility."

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