The People Power Party demanded an apology, calling remarks made by Democratic Party of Korea Seoul mayoral candidate Chong Won-o during a visit to Namdaemun Market a "deskbound theory that shifts the blame for the downturn in commercial districts onto merchants."
Ham In-gyeong, People Power Party Spokesperson, criticized in a commentary on the 2nd, saying, "Candidate Chong said he would look into people's livelihoods and visited Namdaemun Market, but what came back was not consolation but a lecture out of touch with reality."
Earlier, on the 25th, when a merchant at Namdaemun Market pleaded, "Business is doing terribly," Chong said, "There are so many tourists, so why isn't business good? If you research what tourists might like or get expert consulting and change your product line, you'll hit the jackpot."
In response, Spokesperson Ham noted, "Merchants are hanging on day by day amid high inflation, weak consumption, and a sluggish domestic economy," adding, "No one feels more acutely than on-the-ground merchants that a large floating population does not automatically translate into higher sales."
Ham continued, "Candidate Chong shifted the cause of the commercial district slump to merchants' lack of research or product issues," arguing, "Dishing out a shallow remedy and a lecture to merchants who have safeguarded their livelihoods all their lives is not an attitude of trying to understand people's livelihoods; it is the typical stance of deskbound administration that stands over suffering citizens and tries to teach them."
Spokesperson Ham said, "The responsibility for the slump in commercial districts lies with politics that failed to resolve the structural livelihood crisis," urging, "Candidate Chong must immediately apologize for the careless remark that hurt the feelings of Namdaemun Market merchants. Before viewing merchants as targets for lectures, face the reality on the front lines of people's livelihoods."
Meanwhile, People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jae-seop also criticized Chong's remarks. On the 2nd, Kim said on social media, "If you are going to attribute the difficulties merchants face solely to individual fault, then what is politics for?" adding, "A normal politician should offer warm consolation and encouragement to merchants and rightly feel a sense of responsibility as a politician."
He added, "Doesn't Candidate Chong have a problem with empathy?" and "It would be better for Candidate Chong to get consulting and switch careers as soon as possible."