Translation result.
“We lose some momentum on the final day, but right now mourning comes first.”
On the morning of June 2 near Daejeon City Hall, the usual energy of the final day of campaigning ahead of the 9th nationwide local elections was largely absent. A blast at Hanwha Aerospace’s Daejeon facility the previous day resulted in numerous casualties, and downtown was quiet except for parked campaign vehicles. Many candidates sharply reduced or canceled campaign events out of respect for the victims.
Vehicles bearing candidates’ photos and ballot numbers were parked along the roads, but campaign jingles were silent. No candidate took a microphone to plead for votes, and there were no choreographed performances by campaign staff. Electronic billboards on the vehicles replayed candidate videos on a loop. Volunteers standing at crosswalks held signs but offered no chants or greetings.
The scene at Daejeon Station Plaza was much the same. Normally packed during election season with campaign vehicles and staff, the plaza offered little sign of active campaigning that day; only a handful of residents passed through, and the late-stage fervor that candidates and volunteers typically bring was missing.
The area near Galleria Timeworld was similarly subdued. On a normal final campaign day, candidates’ vehicles would set up with music and speeches, but that day the street remained quiet.
A campaign worker said, “The final day of campaigning is the most important, so of course we feel disappointed. But isn’t this the third time something like this has happened? People are deeply shocked, so we can’t campaign as usual. Thinking of the victims and their families, I believe mourning should come first.”
In Yuseong District, where the blast occurred, campaigns also wound down amid a mood of mourning.
Democratic Party Yuseong District mayoral candidate Jeong Yong-rae said, “As soon as the election ends, I will return to my duties to assess the response and devote all efforts to supporting the victims,” while People Power Party candidate Jo Won-hwi said, “Protecting citizens’ lives and safety is the most basic duty of public administration,” and pledged to build a disaster-resilient city.
Daejeon mayoral candidates likewise posted condolences on social media and effectively curtailed their campaigns early.
Democratic candidate Heo Tae-jeong said, “I will conclude my campaign quietly in mourning,” and People Power candidate Lee Jang-woo posted, “I pray for the repose of those who died and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”
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