A total of 1,325 members of the People Power Party (PPP) announced their defection from the party and endorsed Kim Boo-kyum, the Democratic Party's candidate for Daegu mayor.
According to Kim's campaign on Wednesday, 1,325 PPP responsible members and rank-and-file members made the announcement at a press conference held at Kim's campaign office in Dalseo-gu, Daegu.
Those who declared their defection included Ha Yong-ha, a former Dalseong County Council member (two-term) who served as chair of the Dalseong County Council; Park Sung-tae, former chair of the Daegu Metropolitan Council's Special Committee on Promoting Local Decentralization (two-term); and Kim Kyu-hak, former chair of the Daegu Metropolitan Council's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts (three-term).
Ha spent more than 40 years affiliated with the PPP and its predecessor parties, having served as secretary to former four-term Democratic Liberal Party lawmaker Kim Jong-ki and as office director for lawmakers Kim Suk-won, Park Geun-hye, and Son Hee-jung. He strongly criticized PPP candidate Choo Kyung-ho, calling him "the very person who tore Dalseong County to pieces."
Participants denounced the PPP at the event, saying, "What has Daegu gained over the past 30 years?" and "This is politics that has betrayed conservatives in the name of conservatism."
