The Democratic Party of Korea's election campaign leadership, including the party chairman, floor leader, and stumping team, visited North Jeolla Province (Jeonbuk) six times during the 11 days from May 20 to June 1, the period since the official campaign for the June 3 local elections began.
With key battlegrounds emerging in Seoul, Daegu, and Busan, the party concentrated its resources on suppressing the surge of Kim Kwan-young, an independent candidate for Jeonbuk governor. The move is interpreted as reflecting concerns that losing Jeonbuk, a traditional party stronghold, could trigger broader questions about the entire candidate nomination process.
Floor Leader Han Byung-do, whose constituency is Iksan in Jeonbuk, made the most visits to the province. Han traveled to Jeonbuk four times — on May 21, 28, 29, and 30 — to join campaign rallies in support of Lee Won-taek, the Democratic Party's candidate for Jeonbuk governor. Party Chairman Jung Cheong-rae also held a joint rally in Jeonbuk on May 25, while the party's "Ottuk" stumping team led by Rep. Park Ju-min backed Lee on May 23 and 29 in the province.
Party leaders also made frequent stops in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province (Jeonnam), where independents and the Rebuilding Korea Party have been gaining momentum. Jung began his tour in Gwangju on May 23, followed by stops in Gwangyang, Suncheon, and Hampyeong in Jeonnam on May 24, and joined further rallies across Gwangju and Jeonnam on May 30 and 31. Han also visited Gwangju, Hampyeong, and Suncheon on May 26 and 27. Suncheon and Hampyeong, where party leaders concentrated their visits, are areas where independent candidate Noh Kwan-kyu and Rebuilding Korea Party candidate Lee Yoon-haeng have shown strength, respectively.
By contrast, the party leadership held only three campaign events in Seoul and none in Busan. This has prompted criticism that the leadership is tied down in the Honam region. Former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil, who is running in the by-election for Yeonsu-A district in Incheon, sharply criticized the move, asking, "Why are they concentrating party resources in Jeonbuk?" He added, "Aren't the people of Jeonbuk currently angry over the Democratic Party's (nomination) decisions? Going there to pour in party resources and fight with the residents is an arrogant act."
Kim, the independent Jeonbuk gubernatorial candidate, also took a jab at the party on an MBC radio program the same day, saying, "Rather than concentrating party resources in Jeonbuk, they should focus on Pyeongtaek, Daegu, and South Gyeongsang, where they are competing against the People Power Party." He added, "From Chairman Jung Cheong-rae's personal standpoint, because a backlash over the flawed nominations is rising, he likely sees the Jeonbuk election as the most important one for himself."
