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Kim Moon-soo, presidential candidate of the ruling People Power Party, greets citizens during a visit to Seomun Market in Daegu on May 12. / Photo by Song Ui-joo, songuijoo@

Kim Moon-soo, presidential candidate of the ruling People Power Party, visited Daegu—known as the "heartland of conservatism"—on May 12 and pledged to be a humble leader who stays grounded. “The higher I rise, the more I will descend to serve those in need,” Kim told supporters during a campaign stop at Seomun Market.

Paying tribute to the region’s legacy, Kim said, “I will defend Daegu and North Gyeongsang with the spirit of our ancestors who protected the Nakdong River line. I promise once again to be a people’s president who listens, communicates, and wipes away your tears.”

Kim emphasized he would not change after becoming president. “No matter what, I will never become someone different once I take office. The more I rise, the closer I will be to the people,” he said, adding, “I will laugh and cry with you as your friend.”

Taking aim at rival Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, Kim said, “There is someone who impersonated a prosecutor and falsely claimed to be single—he’s a master of lies. I, Kim Moon-soo, developed over 30 times more cities than he did in Gyeonggi Province. Despite all that development, neither I nor any of my associates have ever been investigated.”

Highlighting his economic credentials, Kim stated, “Half of South Korea’s jobs were created in Gyeonggi Province. If I become president, I will create many quality jobs for our young people. I will be a ‘market president’ who ensures that not just Seomun Market, but every market thrives.”

Kim also pledged to bolster national security through the U.S.-Korea alliance. “I will be a security president who protects peace and helps Korea rise on the global stage,” he said. “Everything I say, I will deliver in action.”

Declaring his personal integrity, Kim added, “Even if I were to go to prison, I could never tell a lie. I’ve never deceived anyone, and I never will. People say I own land, but my wife jokes, ‘If we had those buildings and land, we’d be so happy.’ I will be a clean president.”

He concluded by rallying conservatives to defeat the Democratic Party. “Yes, we’ve made mistakes. But it was the Nakdong River line that protected this nation. The Democratic Party is a dictatorship, pushing impeachment after impeachment, controlling the media, and meddling in the judiciary. You must rise up and defeat this.”

Kim was accompanied by several People Power Party lawmakers from the Daegu–North Gyeongsang (TK) region, including Kweon Seong-dong, Kim Seung-soo, Choi Eun-seok, Lee Heon-seung, Lee Man-hee, Kim Sang-hoon, Kang Dae-sik, Kim Ki-woong, Chu Kyung-ho, Kim Dae-sik, Woo Jae-joon, Kwon Young-jin, and Joo Ho-young, who joined the rally to show their support.