2024-08-04 22:44:01
Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea’s candidate for leadership, visited Gwangju on the 4th and appealed for support, saying, “You have made Lee Jae-myung from an immature Ilbe member who criticized Gwangju into a fighter who thinks about democracy in this country and fights for human rights, peace, and democracy, and ultimately raised him into the central leader of the Democratic Party of this country.”
The candidate said this at the joint speech of the Gwangju regional party representative candidates at the 1st regular party convention held at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Seo-gu, Gwangju on this day, saying, “Gwangju, the city that gave Lee Jae-myung a new life. I am happy to see my social mother.”
He said, “The Gwangju I heard about through the news or people’s words while working at the factory was a place where rioters seized an armory and opened fire on soldiers and police officers,” and reflected on his actions, saying, “So, unfortunately, I blamed those innocent victims with my own mouth.”
He continued, “Thanks to the sacrifice of a few people who went to college and made and distributed 50 leaflets overnight, people like me were able to learn the truth about Gwangju.” He pointed out, “How many people were sacrificed because the truth was covered up and the people were deceived with fake news, and how many people were harmed secondaryly because those sacrifices were disguised as perpetrators?”
He also emphasized that “Gwangju is not the Democratic Party’s stronghold, but a harbinger that always awakens the Democratic Party,” and that “it is the source of the struggle and courage for democracy in this country.”
The candidate said, “Mr. Kim Dae-jung, the peerless leader born in Honam, not only fought for democracy, human rights, and peace, but was also a capable planner who saved the people’s livelihood and designed the future of the country.” He added, “Even while on death row in 1981, he said that science and technology would dominate the entire world in the future.”
The candidate also emphasized, “In the near future, most people’s jobs will be replaced by AI robots,” and “In order to maintain consumption commensurate with productivity and prevent extreme polarization, we cannot help but spend a significant portion of excess profits on national income and consumption. Basic income, basic housing, basic education public services. A universal basic society in which the state takes responsibility for the basic living conditions of the people is our future.”
Candidate Kim Du-kwan said, “This candidate has talked about various visions for the basic society, food system, and welfare, but if we try to implement these visions, it will require a lot of budget,” and directly criticized, “The budget should be covered by our taxes.”
Candidate Kim emphasized, “Our Democratic Party is a party for the middle class and the common people,” and “It’s not simply a matter of easing the comprehensive real estate tax or deferring the gold investment tax. Our party has long worked to reduce the gap. How much has polarization and inequality increased since neoliberalism? How much has the gap between the metropolitan area and non-metropolitan areas, and between the provinces and the central government grown? The only thing that can help reduce this gap is the comprehensive real estate tax.”
He said, “If 4.2 trillion won is collected as a national tax, won’t that money go to local governments and be allocated to the city, provincial, and county budgets? Major cities in South Jeolla Province and autonomous districts of Gwangju Metropolitan City will receive between 10 billion won and 15 billion won,” and “The classes we definitely need to take care of are the working class, the middle class, and those suffering socially and economically.”
Candidate Kim also said, “Why is our Democratic Party caring about those who are already being taken care of in Yongsan and whom Han Dong-hoon of the People Power Party is definitely taking care of?” and “What we should be caring about are the underdeveloped regions and the socially and economically disadvantaged.”
He then said, “If I become the party leader, I will raise many next presidential candidates together, including former candidate Lee Jae-myung,” and promised, “People like Im Jong-seok, the chief of staff of the Moon Jae-in administration from Jangheung, Jeollanam-do, Park Yong-jin, Kim Kyung-soo, Chung Dong-young, and Lee Tan-hee from Jangsu, Jeollabuk-do, and many others should compete and debate to create a competitive candidate.” During this process, party members booed.
Candidate Kim Ji-soo said, “The Gwangju spirit is the great action of Gwangju citizens who protected justice and fought resolutely against injustice,” and added, “We will protect the democracy that our predecessors protected and achieved, and we will protect the Republic of Korea.”
About 3,000 people gathered at the joint speech in the Gwangju area that day.
(Seoul/Gwangju=News 1)
2024-08-04 22:44:01