Kim Boo-kyum, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Daegu mayor, said Monday that the roughly 4 percent rise in early voter turnout in Daegu for the June 3 local elections compared with four years ago "reflects a desperate sentiment that (another People Power Party Daegu mayor) cannot be allowed."
Speaking on SBS Radio's "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show" the same day, Kim assessed the rise in early voting positively, noting that "Daegu has traditionally been a region where main-day voting is stronger than early voting."
Kim also said, "There really is such a thing as 'Shy Kim Boo-kyum,'" describing such voters as "people who have not switched camps but who hold the position that a strategic choice must be made to revive Daegu." He added, "About 3,500 responsible members of the People Power Party in the Daegu region have left the party and declared their support for me."
On former President Park Geun-hye stepping out to support Choo Kyung-ho, the People Power Party's candidate for Daegu mayor, Kim asked, "Is it the right approach to keep inviting a former president like this?" He criticized the move, saying, "This election is not about rallying camps. It is a matter of survival — whether Daegu makes a fresh leap forward or continues to stagnate."
Asked about observations that the Daegu mayoral race has been free of negative attacks compared with other regions, Kim said, "Daegu citizens are in a desperate situation right now, so what good would it do for the candidates to trade insults? A former prime minister and a former deputy prime minister tearing each other down would not help citizens make their choice. Common sense has prevailed between us."
