The Democratic Party of Korea began its official election campaign Thursday with tours of the Han River belt and Jungwon region [1].
This aggressive start targets traditional swing districts to mobilize voters and challenge the People Power Party in high-stakes areas. By focusing on these battlegrounds, the party aims to create early momentum through strong rhetoric and high-profile leadership presence.
Campaign activities began at midnight [1]. Party leader Jung Chung-rae and floor leader Han Byung-do led the effort, visiting several key locations, including Gwangjin-gu and Dongjak-gu in Seoul [1]. The leadership also traveled to meet candidates for the South Chungcheong governor and Daejeon mayor positions [1].
During the tour, Jung criticized the opposition. He called for a "judgment on the rebellion" and criticized the opposing party's nomination process, referring to it as "Yoon again nominations" [1].
Han Byung-do also highlighted regional concerns during the campaign launch. He mentioned a "shaking Jeonbuk" as part of the party's focus on maintaining and expanding its regional influence [1].
The party's strategy involves a combination of wide-ranging travel and targeted attacks on the People Power Party. This approach is designed to consolidate the party's base while appealing to undecided voters in the competitive Han River belt [1].
“judgment on the rebellion”
The Democratic Party is utilizing a high-intensity start to the campaign to frame the election as a referendum on the current administration's legitimacy. By deploying top leadership to the 'Han River belt'—a critical set of districts in Seoul—they are signaling that the path to victory relies on flipping urban swing seats while simultaneously shoring up traditional strongholds like Jeonbuk.
