Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae (left) and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Park Su-hyun taste rice cakes while preparing food at the Seosan Cultural Center on the 1st. [Photo=Yonhap News]
Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae and People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok took sharply divergent approaches on the first day of the holiday. Jeong mounted a broad field tour, visiting multiple sites in person, while Jang stayed off the official schedule and continued his campaign against the ruling party via social media.
Jeong visited the Pyeongtaek Port Maritime Traffic Control Center in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, to thank on-duty staff and boost morale. He then traveled to Chungnam, stopping at the Seosan Fire Station, Seosan Cultural Center and Hongseong Traditional Market.
At the maritime traffic center, Jeong said, \"We passed a law so public servants could take Labor Day off, but some still can't rest. I visited to encourage and support the people who quietly protect our daily lives through noble work in unseen places.\"
Analysts said Jeong's itinerary was meant to shore up Democratic candidates ahead of the June 3 local elections and parliamentary by-elections. The inclusion of Pyeongtaek — which has emerged as a competitive battleground after a multi-candidate field formed in the by-election — underscores that strategic focus.
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok pauses in thought during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on April 30. [Photo=Yonhap News]
While Jeong visited four cities in a single day — Pyeongtaek, Seosan, Hongseong and Jeonju (North Jeolla) — Jang did not announce public events and instead posted three messages on Facebook, continuing an SNS-driven campaign.
Commenting on the Dec. 29 Muan Airport crash involving a Jeju Air passenger jet, Jang said investigators \"couldn't even manage debris properly, so the investigation and prosecution couldn't have been thorough.\" He added that although a berm installed under the previous Democratic administration appeared to be a likely cause, the probe has stalled and no one has been held accountable.
He accused the Democratic Party of double standards, saying it relentlessly pursued the Sewol and Itaewon disasters for years but is treating the Muan Airport crash as if it never happened. He called that approach \"immoral politics\" that weighs tragedies by partisan advantage.
On the bill the Democratic Party introduced the previous day to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate alleged fabricated investigations and prosecutions, Jang accused the party of trying to erase prosecutions. \"Now that he has become president, they're trying to cancel indictments and wipe away trials,\" he said, calling it a betrayal of the public and a form of theft.
He also criticized Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young's remark that unification is violent, calling the minister's view shocking. Jang warned that \"anti-American, pro-North and pro-China tendencies run deep in President Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party's DNA,\" and urged the public to stay alert and hold them accountable.
Meanwhile, Jang plans to attend campaign office openings for Busan mayoral candidate Park Hyung-joon on the 2nd and Daegu mayoral candidate Chu Kyung-ho on the 3rd. Party chief spokesman Park Seong-hoon said Jang is unlikely to join on-site campaign rallies, explaining that scheduling additional events after the office openings could dilute public attention on the candidates, so the party decided against it.
