"The election atmosphere is still lukewarm."
"There seems to be a sense of political aversion."
Ajou Economic Daily visited Gyeongnam on May 19, just 15 days before the June 3 local elections, where the rivalry between incumbent Democratic Party candidate Kim Kyung-soo and People Power Party candidate Park Wan-soo has drawn significant attention. Despite the intense exchanges over issues like the 'insurrection judgment theory' and the 'Dru King responsibility theory,' public reactions have been largely cold.
A taxi driver met at Changwon Central Station remarked, "The election atmosphere is still lukewarm. It seems like it will only heat up once the official campaign kicks off on the 21st." He added, "In this area, I think many will support Park, who is from Changwon."
At Sangnam Market, there was little enthusiasm for the election. Most vendors expressed indifference, saying things like, "I’m not really interested in the election," and "I don’t have a candidate I support."
Among them, a male vendor in his 60s stated, "It would be beneficial for us if the ruling party candidate wins," indicating his support for Kim. Another male vendor in his 60s expressed ambivalence, saying, "Park is doing well right now, so I’m conflicted." A female vendor in her 60s also mentioned, "We need to elect someone who does their job well. I haven’t decided who to choose yet."
To gauge the opinions of younger voters, the team headed to Changwon-daero, but the lukewarm attitude toward the election was consistent across age groups. Many expressed a lack of interest, with some not even knowing who the candidates were. A male university student in his 20s said, "I haven’t fully decided yet, but I prefer Park a bit more." In contrast, a female student in her 20s stated, "I think I’ll vote for the Democratic Party candidate."
A male doctor in his 30s, who has long supported the People Power Party, expressed disappointment, saying, "I can’t support them anymore after the legislative crisis." A female small business owner in her 30s also shared her lack of interest, stating, "I don’t have a candidate I support, and I’m not very interested in this election."
On the way from Changwon University to Jinyeong Station, a taxi driver lamented, "It seems many citizens feel a sense of political aversion." He noted that Park has received praise for being frugal and predicted that the living support funds he implemented would influence voter sentiment. Since April 30, Gyeongnam has been providing 100,000 won in living support to each resident to stimulate the economy amid high inflation and interest rates. Concerns have been raised that government support for high fuel prices could sway voter sentiment, but Park's living support funds may mitigate some of that impact.
Most residents near Jinyeong Station also avoided discussing the election, with one 70-year-old vendor stating, "What do I know about the election?" However, another vendor in his 70s expressed his support for Park, saying, "Personally, I lean conservative, so I support Park. The current administration should continue. Kim has the Dru King issue to contend with." Conversely, a 50-year-old woman expressed her intention to vote for Kim, saying, "I will choose Kim, who has been active in Gimhae. Isn’t President Lee Jae-myung doing well?" She also mentioned, "The People Power Party seems to be asking voters to choose based on the person, not the party." A 60-year-old man met at Jinyeong Station also expressed support for Kim, citing his freshness as a reason.
Meanwhile, Kim and Park are in a tight race according to various polls, with many voters expressing low interest in the local elections and uncertainty in their candidate choices. This suggests that capturing the moderate voter base could determine the outcome of the election.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.