The Democratic Party of Korea's leadership has headed to the Honam region as candidates from the Cho Kuk Innovation Party are gaining ground in areas such as Hampyeong and Damyang, and independent candidates who defected from the Democratic Party are mounting strong challenges. As the election approaches, narrowing support gaps are creating battleground races in Seoul and the Yeongnam region, but the party is struggling to concentrate its resources elsewhere as defending its traditional stronghold has become difficult.
Democratic Party leader Jung Cheong-rae visited Gwangyang on Monday to appeal for support for Jung In-hwa, the Democratic Party candidate. The Gwangyang mayoral race is a three-way contest among the incumbent candidate Jung and independent candidates Park Sung-hyun and Park Pil-sun. Park Sung-hyun, who left the Democratic Party, is reportedly mounting a formidable challenge.
The argument candidate Jung is putting forward is the "ruling party candidate" theory. "The budget is drafted by the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Democratic Party government," he said. "Because the budget and laws are passed by the Democratic Party government and the Democratic Party of Korea, only when Jung In-hwa becomes the Democratic Party mayor can Gwangyang develop." He added, "Because that work is done by the Democratic Party government, Gwangyang will develop only if you elect Jung In-hwa, the Democratic Party candidate from the same party as the president."
Beyond Gwangyang, the number of areas in Honam where the Democratic Party leadership cannot guarantee victory is gradually increasing. Suncheon and Yeosu are prime examples. The Suncheon mayoral race has formed a three-way contest among Sohn Hun-mo of the Democratic Party, Lee Sung-soo of the Progressive Party, and Noh Kwan-kyu, an independent. This is the area where independent candidate Noh Kwan-kyu defeated the Democratic Party candidate to win four years ago. In Yeosu, Seo Young-hak of the Democratic Party is going head-to-head with Myung Cheong-hwan of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party. In Hampyeong and Damyang as well, Cho Kuk Innovation Party candidates are polling high in surveys, putting the leadership on edge.
