The Democratic Party of Korea held its first election countermeasures committee meeting in Gangwon Province and entered a full-fledged campaign mode. The party plans to run neighborhood-level election committees, a half-and-half support team, and a "Otdduk" stump team, and to spark a "blue wind" nationwide through customized pledges.
Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, visited Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, on the 11th and held the first meeting of the election countermeasures committee. The party shifted its supreme council to a campaign committee system on the 10th.
Regarding why he chose Gangwon Province for the first meeting, Jung said, "First, through this local election we want to pledge to develop Gangwon so much that residents' eyes will pop open," and "second, we wanted to show the party's trust in and expectations for Woo Sang-ho," throwing his support behind candidate Woo.
That day, Jung also appointed Yoo Chung-won as co–senior campaign chair. Yoo is known as the person who blocked an armored vehicle at the National Assembly during the Dec. 3 martial law. Jung said, "The protagonists of this campaign committee are the citizens who overcame the Dec. 3 martial law and rebellion," adding, "We appointed him to convey public sentiment through the eyes of citizens, reflecting the desperate feelings of that time."
Jung went on to say the party has "embarked on a long march to normalize Korea and open an era of hardworking local governments." He added, "Centering on 'neighborhood election committees,' we will travel the country without leaving out neglected places, and we will run the 'half-and-half support team' and the 'Otdduk stump team' to stir up a blue wind nationwide."
The "half-and-half support team" divides an incumbent lawmaker's time between their own district and a strategic district to stump, while the "Otdduk stump team" is a group in which primary losers and others take part to tour the country and provide support speeches.
Jung added, "Soon we will announce local-election-specific pledges as 'killer content' and also innovate our promotional methods," saying, "We will show a highly polished Democratic Party of Korea in every respect, including candidates, communication, and pledges."