Kim Sung-keun, an independent candidate in the parliamentary by-election for Busan's Buk-gu A district, withdrew from the race one day before the vote and declared his support for Park Min-sik, the People Power Party candidate.
Kim held a press conference at Park's campaign office in Buk-gu, Busan on Thursday, saying, "We can never entrust Buk-gu's future to the absurd political show of a particular candidate who does not even understand Gupo's painful wounds and long-standing aspirations."
Kim particularly pointed out that "those who have never lived the life of Gupo are using Buk-gu in a very unusual way, solely to satisfy their personal political ambitions and lust for power."
"What is most appalling is the deformed fandom politics in which people, with rational policy pledges and regional development pushed aside, spread false information and blindly follow a particular politician like a cult leader, even abandoning their families to chase after them," he stressed. "I can no longer stand by and watch local politics being devastated by blind fandom that has shut its eyes and ears."
He added, "Please rally behind candidate Park Min-sik, who has returned to Gupo with sincerity and tears."
Park expressed his gratitude to Kim and appealed for a last-minute consolidation of his support base. "I extend my deep respect and gratitude to independent candidate No. 5 Kim Sung-keun for making such a bold decision," Park said.
Park also argued, "The courage Kim has shown is not simply a declaration of support for Park Min-sik as an individual. It is a stern judgment and warning against the unidentified opinion poll agitation that has thoroughly distorted grassroots sentiment and tried to blind the eyes and ears of residents."
He also said, "The only way to defeat fake opinion poll agitation is your great vote. Please complete the true victory of Buk-gu through tomorrow's main voting."
