Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, began shoring up the "stronghold" in South Jeolla on the 24th, 10 days before the June 3 local elections.
On this day, Jung visited Songgwangsa Temple in Suncheon, South Jeolla, and then toured Gwangyang, Damyang, and Hampyeong in sequence to campaign in support of local election candidates. Honam is a region with strong support for the Democratic Party, but it is also a place where many Rebuilding Korea Party and independent candidates are clustered.
At the Ogok 5-day market in Gwangyang, Jung said, "I will be blunt. For Gwangyang mayor, choose No. 1, Jeong In-hwa, and for the Jeonnam-Gwangju integrated city mayor, choose No. 1, Min Hyung-bae," adding, "Independents won't work. For Gwangyang to develop, it needs to secure a lot of budget funds and revise laws."
He continued, "Budgets are drafted by a Democratic Party government, and Democratic Party lawmakers pass the laws," and said, "If you elect Jeong In-hwa as Gwangyang mayor, the party will provide full support so Gwangyang residents are not left out."
Jung will move on to Damyang County and Hampyeong County to campaign for Park Jong-won, the Damyang county chief candidate, and Lee Nam-o, the Hampyeong county chief candidate. Notably, in Damyang, the Rebuilding Korea Party beat the Democratic Party to win the basic local government head in a by-election in April last year.