Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, speaks during a campaign event in front of the Jagaljagal Community Center in Goesan, Chungbuk, on June 1. [Photo: Yonhap News]
Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, and Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, suspended their campaign schedules on June 1 following an explosion at Hanwha Aerospace in Daejeon’s Yuseong District. The two had planned to hold a campaign event in Ulsan’s Nam District just two days before the June 3 local elections and National Assembly by-elections but canceled after the incident resulted in casualties.
Jeong was scheduled to visit Cheonan in South Chungcheong Province, Goesan in North Chungcheong Province, Andong in North Gyeongsang Province, and Ulsan’s Nam District, but only completed his visit to Andong. While supporting candidates in Goesan, he stated, "If there are necessary measures regarding the incident, I will do my best," adding, "The primary virtue of our politics and the duty of the state is to protect the lives and safety of the people."
Jang also had plans to visit Jeju’s Jeju and Seogwipo cities and Ulsan’s Nam District but canceled his remaining schedule after learning of the explosion before reaching Seogwipo. He expressed condolences on Facebook, saying, "I pray for the souls of those who lost their lives in the Hanwha Aerospace explosion and sincerely offer my condolences to the bereaved families. I hope the government will do its best for a swift recovery and damage control. The People Power Party will also spare no support as needed."
Additionally, both the Democratic Party and the People Power Party issued a ban on the use of campaign songs and choreography for all candidates and campaign teams nationwide. The Democratic Party further instructed its members to suspend all on-site campaigns and events until further notice.
Jeong and Jang were scheduled to campaign in Ulsan’s Nam District at similar times that evening. Ulsan is a hotly contested area due to the upcoming National Assembly by-election (Ulsan Nam-gap) and the agreement between the Democratic Party and the Justice Party to unify their mayoral candidates.
Both parties view this region as a battleground, which is why the leaders aimed to secure moderate voter support just two days before the elections. However, the large-scale human tragedy prompted them to prioritize understanding the situation over campaigning.
Meanwhile, the political sphere is closely monitoring how long the impact of this incident will last on the campaign trail. Both parties had previously paused their campaigns for a period following a deadly collapse of the Seosomun Overpass in Seoul on May 26. With the latest explosion occurring just two days before the elections, if the suspension of campaigning continues for an extended period, it could effectively end their election efforts.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Jeong was scheduled to visit Cheonan in South Chungcheong Province, Goesan in North Chungcheong Province, Andong in North Gyeongsang Province, and Ulsan’s Nam District, but only completed his visit to Andong. While supporting candidates in Goesan, he stated, "If there are necessary measures regarding the incident, I will do my best," adding, "The primary virtue of our politics and the duty of the state is to protect the lives and safety of the people."
Jang also had plans to visit Jeju’s Jeju and Seogwipo cities and Ulsan’s Nam District but canceled his remaining schedule after learning of the explosion before reaching Seogwipo. He expressed condolences on Facebook, saying, "I pray for the souls of those who lost their lives in the Hanwha Aerospace explosion and sincerely offer my condolences to the bereaved families. I hope the government will do its best for a swift recovery and damage control. The People Power Party will also spare no support as needed."
Additionally, both the Democratic Party and the People Power Party issued a ban on the use of campaign songs and choreography for all candidates and campaign teams nationwide. The Democratic Party further instructed its members to suspend all on-site campaigns and events until further notice.
Jeong and Jang were scheduled to campaign in Ulsan’s Nam District at similar times that evening. Ulsan is a hotly contested area due to the upcoming National Assembly by-election (Ulsan Nam-gap) and the agreement between the Democratic Party and the Justice Party to unify their mayoral candidates.
Both parties view this region as a battleground, which is why the leaders aimed to secure moderate voter support just two days before the elections. However, the large-scale human tragedy prompted them to prioritize understanding the situation over campaigning.
Meanwhile, the political sphere is closely monitoring how long the impact of this incident will last on the campaign trail. Both parties had previously paused their campaigns for a period following a deadly collapse of the Seosomun Overpass in Seoul on May 26. With the latest explosion occurring just two days before the elections, if the suspension of campaigning continues for an extended period, it could effectively end their election efforts.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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