Jang Won't Let Go of Olympic Park, Says "Those Who Give Up Cannot Win" at Park Chung-hee's Birthplace

At Olympic Park: "I'll stand with them wherever they fight, no matter how many remain"

Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, visited the birthplace of the late President Park Chung-hee on Oct. 30 and left the message, "Those who give up cannot win." Referring to the rally at Seoul Olympic Park over the "ballot shortage incident," Jang said, "It is up to the citizens to decide how long we will fight," adding, "Even if only one person remains, I will fight alongside them."

After writing the message in the guestbook at the late President Park's birthplace in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, on the morning of Oct. 30, Jang told reporters, "I don't know what will happen to the rally at Olympic Park, but the issue is not over. Neither reform of the National Election Commission nor electoral system reform has moved forward even one step."

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Asked why he chose the site for his first regional visit since becoming the longest-serving party leader since the People Power Party's launch, Jang said, "I came to draw attention to the historical distortions in the film Assassins." He added, "No matter what the intention behind attempts to distort history, the history of national modernization achieved under President Park will not be shaken."

Jang then commented on the special prosecution team's recount of ballots stored at Olympic Park, saying, "The movement to restore suffrage after the ninth nationwide local elections was started by patriotic citizens, and the public made the special prosecution team possible as well." He added, "The truth must be revealed through rigorous scientific examination of the ballots submitted for verification."

Earlier, Jang observed the public verification process for approximately 2.47 million ballots from Seoul's Songpa District, conducted by the special prosecution team about 140 days after the local elections. When the special prosecution team and the National Election Commission removed the ballots after completing the verification, he said, "There is no investigation that entrusts evidence to the hands of a suspect (the National Election Commission)," and staged an overnight sit-in to block their transfer.

Asked how he would respond to the rally at Olympic Park, which has lost momentum, Jang said, "The rally at Olympic Park has not stopped for even a second since that day (the local elections)." He added, "Citizens want to know what happened during the verification process, and they are angry that the ballots were removed without any explanation."

He continued, "Politics means explaining matters the public is concerned about and asking for understanding where things have fallen short, but no one is doing that." He said, "I promised to stand with citizens and offer what little support I can, wherever they go to fight and however many remain. I will continue to put that promise into practice."

Meanwhile, some within the party say Jang's decision to visit President Park's birthplace after standing his ground at the Olympic Park site is aimed at rallying conservative supporters. If Olympic Park represents young conservatives, President Park's birthplace is a symbolic place for traditional conservatives who emphasize modernization and industrialization.

Some observers also interpret the move as a response to the contest for influence within the conservative camp, amid developments such as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's recent acquittal on appeal in a case involving alleged violations of the Public Official Election Act and the rise of a new hard-line faction. A People Power Party lawmaker from the Yeongnam region said in a phone interview on Oct. 30, "Olympic Park lost its symbolic significance as a physical location when the ballots were removed." The lawmaker added, "This visit to the birthplace is intended to secure support in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province (TK) and absorb supporters of former President Park Geun-hye."

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