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Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, holds up a “Real Korea” panel containing voter demands during a campaign rally in front of Gyeyang Station, his home district in Incheon, on May 21. / Source: Yonhap News

On the 11th day of his presidential campaign, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung visited Jeju and Yangsan on May 22 to present his vision for transforming South Korea into a global maritime powerhouse and fostering sustainable regional development.

According to Cho Seung-rae, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party’s election committee, the visit highlighted the strategic importance of Jeju and South Gyeongsang Province as hubs for the country’s marine industries and eco-friendly growth. “Jeju and Gyeongnam are both pivotal regions where industry, peace, and nature converge,” Cho said during a morning briefing. “Lee will present a vision in which he acts as a bridge between marine development and peaceful progress.”

Lee began the day with a rally at Dongmun Rotary in Jeju City. In the afternoon, he held a campaign event at Waterpark Park in Yangsan, Gyeongnam.

In Jeju, Lee pledged to create a “green dividend economy” that reinvests profits from renewable energy — including solar and wind — back into local communities. “Jeju is a pristine island of wind, stone, and sea,” said Cho. “Lee will announce plans to develop eco-friendly industries like ‘sunlight pensions’ and ‘wind pensions’ that deliver direct benefits to local residents.”

For Yangsan, Lee plans to propose turning the city into a core logistics hub by attracting the Northeast Asia headquarters of the UN International Logistics Center. He will also unveil policies to revitalize the high-tech shipbuilding sector and position Yangsan as a major base for the global maritime industry.

“Jeju and Gyeongnam are not only centers of South Korea’s economic growth but also key to its emergence as a leading maritime nation,” Cho added. “From a maritime industry transformation and shipbuilding renaissance to global logistics and tourism leadership — this is the global maritime future Lee Jae-myung envisions.”