Kim Boo-kyum of the Democratic Party of Korea and Choo Kyung-ho of the People Power Party, the candidates running for Daegu mayor in the June 3 local elections, went all-out on the final weekend before the vote to win over voters. With the race remaining razor-thin, both candidates made successive visits to Dongseong-ro, a popular destination for young people, and to traditional markets to rally support.
On Saturday, the two candidates campaigned intensively in Dongseong-ro, a bustling commercial district in central Daegu. They also visited Seomun Market, regarded as a barometer of Daegu's public sentiment, raising the temperature of the campaign.
According to local political circles and each candidate's camp, Kim began his day greeting commuters at Exit 1 of Yongsan Station on Daegu Metro Line 1. He then made his way through Munyang Station on Line 2 and apartment complexes in Dasa-eup, Dalseong-gun, meeting with voters.
At lunchtime, he visited the Geumho district in Buk-gu, and in the afternoon continued street campaigning around Seomun Market and Dalseong Park. He then moved to Dongseong-ro, where he held a focused rally in front of the former Daegu Department Store.
"If I become mayor, I want to restore Dongseong-ro's glory and revive Daegu," Kim said at the Dongseong-ro rally. "I will mobilize all of Daegu's administrative capacity to revive the economy for ordinary people."
Citing plans to build the Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport, he added, "I will carry out the airport relocation project and transform that site into a space where young people can make a living, making Daegu once again the locomotive leading the Republic of Korea in the era of AI and digital industries." He also outlined plans for deregulation and attracting major corporations.
Han Jeoung-ae, chair of the Democratic Party's Policy Committee, joined the campaign trail to support Kim. Kim was scheduled to visit Seomun Market in the evening to continue campaigning at the night market.
Choo started his campaign by attending a running event around Hwarang Bridge on the Geumho River in Dong-gu. He then went to Samsung Lions Park in Suseong-gu to appeal for support from citizens who had come to watch a professional baseball game. Rep. Kim Min-jeon accompanied him there to lend her support.
In the afternoon, Choo visited Seonam Market in Dalseo-gu to meet merchants and residents, then held a focused rally in front of CGV Daegu Hanil in Dongseong-ro.
"Among the more than 7,800 candidates running in this local election, I, Choo Kyung-ho, am the only one who has overseen the Republic of Korea's economic budget, successfully overcome an economic crisis, and served as deputy prime minister for the economy," Choo stressed at Seonam Market. He also urged voters to turn out, saying, "This local election must be one that judges the arrogant Lee Jae-myung administration and checks its arrogant exercise of power and one-sided rule."
On Sunday, Choo plans to make a last-minute push for votes by visiting Seomun Market and Suseong Lake in succession with former President Park Geun-hye.
With various polls showing a tight race, both candidates view this weekend as effectively their last chance to determine the outcome. Kim is concentrating on courting moderate and young voters centered on Dongseong-ro, while Choo is focusing on rallying his conservative base by campaigning alongside the former president.
The two candidates pursued similar strategies last weekend as well. Kim held a focused rally in Dongseong-ro to expand his contact with young voters, while Choo visited Chilseong Market with former President Park to canvass grassroots sentiment and shore up his support base.
