Rival parties race to garner votes for April 29 elections by hosting policy events

Rival parties race to garner votes for April 29 elections by hosting policy events. April. 07, 2015 06:53. soof@donga.com.

The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy staged a ‘duel of policies’ on Monday. They intend to gain the upper hand in the election campaign by not only discovering tailored election pledges in preparation for the upcoming elections and next year’s general elections but also holding ‘policy events.’

The Saenuri Party’s policy committee held a workshop at Ara Marina Convention in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province on the day, which included experts’ lectures on ‘co-prosperity of the local community,’ and ‘revival of the middle class,’ and free discussions on policy agendas for next year’s general elections.

Floor leader Yoo Seung-min said, “NPAD is making significant changes with words by labeling itself as ‘party of economy and national security,’” adding, “In times like this, the Saenuri Party should not be biased toward the right, and instead should solidly maintain a moderate stance and follow the middle way centered on the middle class and the working class.”

However, analysts say that the party is maybe focusing too much on efforts to win voter sentiment, while completely avoiding mentioning at all the pending issues, including the biggest issue of public pension reform, just one day before the opening of April’s extraordinary session of the National Assembly.

NPAD and its think tank Democratic Policy Research Institute are holding a ‘Policy Expo Together 2015’ at court in front of the National Assembly building for three days from Monday. The expo includes discussions about pending issues including safe childrearing environment, and a hike in the minimum wage between its members and university students, youth, ordinary citizens and experts. The party thus intends to win public sentiment from the moderate group, who has been disappointed at the government’s policy, while dispelling past images of the opposition party that has been engaged in political wrangling with the government and the ruling party.

However, more than 30 of the 96 booths installed at the site on the first day of the event focused on promotion and sale of specialty products from local regions. The party’s leadership, including Chairman Moon Jae-in and floor leader Woo Yoon-geun, were busy eating specialty foods and taking photos touring the sales booths.

Asked “What has food got to do with policy?” by a reporter, floor leader Woo, who was tasting potato from Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, said, “If there is business to be promoted, we will redouble efforts to help Gangwon Province recover its budget.” Even some party insiders have frowned, saying that it seems to have turned into a food fair rather than policy expo.