Suwon Mayoral Candidates' Breathless Day of Last-Minute Campaigning

As the voting day drew just two days away, the candidates for Suwon mayor in the June 2 local elections mobilized all their supporters to consolidate their base. Sim Jae-in, the Grand National Party candidate, and Yeom Tae-young, the Democratic Party candidate—who were shown to be in a very tight race in various opinion polls—each mobilized all their supporters at Suwon Station and Yeongtong Homeplus, respectively, on the afternoon of the 31st of last month to launch an all-out offensive, while independent candidates also focused on making pledges to win over undecided voters.

Sim Jae-in, the Grand National Party candidate, began the day with greetings to commuters at Suwon Station, then toured traditional markets and alleyways within the region, including Jowon, Yeonmu, and Pajang markets, to gauge grassroots sentiment. On his way home in the evening, party district chairmen from four constituencies, including Rep. Nam Kyung-pil, and campaign workers all turned out for an intensive campaign event. At the event, Sim appealed, "I will surely win for the development of Suwon, and I need your absolute support for a landslide victory."

On the 1st, the final day of campaigning, Sim's camp plans to rally the support of Grand National Party members, supporters, and undecided voters in the Jeongja-dong central shopping district and near his election office in Uman-dong. Sim's camp stated, "We will spread the momentum by making Sim's strength widely known."

Yeom Tae-young, the Democratic Party candidate, devoted himself to expanding his support base, including holding a joint campaign event with Rhyu Si-min, the National Participatory Party candidate for Gyeonggi Province governor. At the joint campaign event held that morning at the back gate of Sungkyunkwan University in Jangan-gu, attended by campaign committee chairman Sohn Hak-kyu and Supreme Council member Kim Jin-pyo, Yeom said, "To establish a youth start-up venture center and to pursue a private-contract rental housing project around university areas, the clear choice of young college students is needed," and asked for support, saying, "I, number 2 Yeom Tae-young, will await your choice."

He then visited the Pajang, Jeongja, Yeonmu, Geobuk, and Hwaseo markets in turn to listen to the joys and sorrows of traditional market merchants, and at an intensive campaign event at Yeongtong Homeplus during the evening commute, he swayed voters by pledging the realization of eco-friendly free school meals. Yeom's camp stated, "The tide has already turned toward the unified opposition candidate," and "On the 1st, we will end with an all-out offensive at key points such as Suwon Station and then await the citizens' precious decision."

Lee Yoon-hee and Shin Hyun-tae, independent candidates for Suwon mayor, made every effort to embrace the votes of undecided voters, who account for 20 to 30 percent. In a street campaign that day, Lee expressed confidence, saying, "The 25 percent of Suwon's undecided votes and hidden votes that are tired of the existing political establishment will choose independent candidate Lee Yoon-hee, who advocates a break from politics, becoming a whirlwind in the final phase of the election."

Shin waged an intensive campaign in the Gwonseon-gu area, shouting "Number 9 Shin Hyun-tae, a 9-out-of-9 ace pitcher for Suwon." Announcing pledges related to farmers that day, Shin promised, "I will build a school meal support center in cooperation with Suwon Nonghyup and supply Suwon agricultural products to school meals at all levels of schools in Suwon City to promote the consumption of our agricultural products."