In an effort to understand the public’s livelihood, Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate from the People’s Power Party, stated, “I felt the hardship of our economy and people’s lives” and described markets as “a showcase of the economy.” He pledged to beat Lee Jae-myung with “a dramatic victory.”
Kim visited Garak Market in Songpa-gu, Seoul on May 12th, making it his first campaign stop. He encouraged the vendors at the fruit and vegetable market from early morning, accompanied by Kim Yong-tae, who was surprisingly appointed as the party chairman the day before, Park Jeong-hoon and Bae Hyun-jin, who represent Songpa-gu, and Lee Man-hee from the Agriculture, Food, Maritime, and Fisheries Committee.
While greeting vendors and listening to their challenges, Kim heard complaints about the six-day workweek and discussed potential solutions with market officials. After the campaign, he called the market the core of the economy, where producers, consumers, and self-employed people like restaurant owners gather. He emphasized the significance of Garak Market as a window into agricultural realities and expressed his intention to become a “president for the people’s livelihood and economy.”
Kim also expressed his determination to defeat the Democratic Party’s candidate, Lee Jae-myung, stating, “I have experienced many elections and I know politics is not mathematics.” Reflecting on being in third place until three days before his first parliamentary win, he declared his aim to create the most dramatic and beautiful drama with the people’s support.