Democratic Party of Korea’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung appeals for voter support during a campaign rally in Dongseong-ro, Daegu, on May 13. By reporter Park Min-kyu

On the second day of the official election campaign for the presidential election scheduled for June 3, Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Lee Jae-myung visited the traditionally conservative regions of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province (TK) and Ulsan in an effort to win over voters in the Yeongnam area. Lee appealed to the conservative base by invoking the legacy of former president Park Chung-hee and highlighting his own roots in Andong.

Speaking atop a campaign vehicle in front of Gumi Station in North Gyeongsang Province on May 13, Lee addressed the crowd by saying, “I hear this is where former President Park Chung-hee was born.” He continued, “When I was young, I thought of him as a very bad person, a dictator who mobilized the military and judiciary to carry out judicial murders, torture, prolong his rule, and destroy democracy. And that’s still true today.”

However, he added, “On the other hand, we can’t deny that he also played a role in leading the country’s industrialization,” emphasizing, “What I want to say is that if you elect a competent and loyal public servant who works for the people and the country, the world can change.”

Later in the day, Lee visited Dongseong-ro in Daegu, known as the "heart of conservatism," and said that the TK sentiment of blindly supporting a conservative party needs to change. “In Honam and Gwangju, when they’re unhappy with politics, they abandon their support and make a different choice. But in Daegu and the Yeongnam region, people follow politics without question,” he said. “If you vote blindly just because someone is from a conservative party or a liberal party, politicians regard you only as a target, not as a true owner of democracy.”’ He added, “Try voting for someone new. There are so many fresh candidates. If one doesn’t work well, choose another. That’s how politics becomes normal.”

Lee also appealed to regional pride, stressing his own roots in the TK region. “I’m from Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. So why isn’t anyone saying, ‘Jae-myung is not a stranger.’” he asked. “Please say ‘Jae-myung is not a stranger.’ I’m not promoting regionalism. I’m just asking you to give me a chance.”

Approximately 1,000 citizens gathered at Lee’s rally in Daegu, chanting his name. After wrapping up his event there, he moved on to Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province and then to Ulsan to complete the day’s schedule. On the 14th, he plans to continue his campaign in Busan and the cities of South Gyeongsang Province (PK), including Changwon, Tongyeong, and Geoje, key parts of the PK region.

Lee’s visit to the TK region comes just three days after a two-day listening tour in the Yeongnam region on May 9, before the official election campaign period began. In past presidential elections, the DPK has struggled to secure more than 10 to 20 percent of the vote in the TK region. However, with recent internal conflict in the conservative People Power Party (PPP) over candidate unification, the liberal DPK is hoping to exceed 30 percent of the vote in the upcoming election.

As part of this strategy, the DPK’s campaign committee has recruited former conservative figures from the region, including Lee In-ki, a three-term New Frontier Party lawmaker from Goryeong, Seongju, and Chilgok, and Kwon Oh-eul, a former Grand National Party lawmaker from Andong.