Two Major Parties Adopt Contrasting Strategies Ahead of General Election: Democrats Highlight 'Connections,' People Power Party Pursues 'Distance'

Ahead of the 22nd National Assembly election, candidates from the Democratic Party are emphasizing their connections with influential figures within the ruling camp, including President Lee Jae-myung, while candidates from the People Power Party are adopting a strategy of distancing themselves from the party. Democratic Party candidates are seeking support by highlighting their relationships with well-known party figures in election banners and online promotional materials. People Power Party candidates are avoiding the party's signature red color and wearing white clothing, signaling a move to create distance from the party.

Experts point out that these opposing election strategies by the two major parties are hindering substantive policy discussions for local constituents. Professor Jung Hoe-ok from the Political Science and International Relations department at Myongji University analyzed that South Korean local politics often takes the form of proxy battles for central politics, leading to election campaigns that tend to emphasize relationships with influential central politicians. He noted that under the perception that 'nomination is tantamount to election,' candidates from the ruling party are focusing on showcasing their ties with influential politicians rather than highlighting their policy pledges or capabilities. Park Sang-chul, Emeritus Professor at Kyonggi University, evaluated that policy debates are only possible when a structure is formed between parties with different goals, but the People Power Party is failing to function properly by focusing heavily on internal factional disputes. He added that the Democratic Party's elections are also leaning towards highlighting personal networks rather than policy competition due to the diversification of power structures within the party.

This electoral landscape stems from a stark gap in approval ratings between the ruling and opposition parties. According to a poll released on the 20th, President Lee's job performance approval rating reached a post-inauguration high of 65.5%. In terms of party support, the Democratic Party led with 50.5%, while the People Power Party trailed at 31.4%. Results also indicated that the People Power Party's approval rating hit a post-inauguration low. The strategy of Democratic Party candidates is interpreted as an attempt to emphasize to voters how a close relationship with the incumbent president can be advantageous for resolving local issues and advancing policies. President Lee's high approval rating, nearing 70% in various polls, serves as a practical promotional tool for these candidates.

The poll results mentioned in the article had a margin of error of ±2.0 percentage points (for job performance) or ±3.1 percentage points (for party support) at a 95% confidence level, with response rates of 5.4% and 3.9% respectively. Detailed information can be found on the website of the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission.