The Prague Post - South Korean voters weigh political divide in partisan heartlands

EUR -
AED 4.234174
AFN 81.122166
ALL 97.629526
AMD 443.04022
ANG 2.063274
AOA 1057.218615
ARS 1362.027416
AUD 1.77131
AWG 2.07812
AZN 1.961543
BAM 1.948406
BBD 2.32697
BDT 140.945156
BGN 1.955914
BHD 0.434847
BIF 3431.578203
BMD 1.15291
BND 1.476298
BOB 7.99267
BRL 6.321639
BSD 1.152427
BTN 99.341031
BWP 15.407533
BYN 3.771588
BYR 22597.037105
BZD 2.314916
CAD 1.566857
CDF 3316.922004
CHF 0.939734
CLF 0.028177
CLP 1081.279866
CNY 8.277606
CNH 8.285394
COP 4730.770422
CRC 580.397567
CUC 1.15291
CUP 30.552116
CVE 109.849109
CZK 24.809464
DJF 205.221248
DKK 7.458325
DOP 68.141424
DZD 149.793015
EGP 57.852104
ERN 17.293651
ETB 154.761925
FJD 2.587941
FKP 0.84787
GBP 0.852836
GEL 3.14168
GGP 0.84787
GHS 11.869957
GIP 0.84787
GMD 82.433676
GNF 9985.109541
GTQ 8.851412
GYD 241.025382
HKD 9.05009
HNL 30.091811
HRK 7.537841
HTG 150.827655
HUF 403.634175
IDR 18793.240956
ILS 4.048651
IMP 0.84787
INR 99.531308
IQD 1509.770878
IRR 48549.042436
ISK 143.59515
JEP 0.84787
JMD 183.423962
JOD 0.817439
JPY 167.319566
KES 148.954916
KGS 100.822068
KHR 4615.485633
KMF 490.568169
KPW 1037.624973
KRW 1579.988257
KWD 0.353148
KYD 0.960455
KZT 597.931033
LAK 24863.649997
LBP 103260.756778
LKR 346.60474
LRD 230.49534
LSL 20.557789
LTL 3.404243
LVL 0.697384
LYD 6.253271
MAD 10.50145
MDL 19.684304
MGA 5175.361076
MKD 61.534736
MMK 2419.903836
MNT 4130.262797
MOP 9.318261
MRU 45.498348
MUR 52.353512
MVR 17.760548
MWK 1998.416616
MXN 21.874117
MYR 4.894682
MZN 73.728739
NAD 20.557789
NGN 1783.447923
NIO 42.40907
NOK 11.41536
NPR 158.945849
NZD 1.905518
OMR 0.443259
PAB 1.152427
PEN 4.152343
PGK 4.744994
PHP 65.591366
PKR 326.550739
PLN 4.275048
PYG 9206.065775
QAR 4.203648
RON 5.033028
RSD 117.22775
RUB 90.599741
RWF 1664.184923
SAR 4.325596
SBD 9.623791
SCR 16.34008
SDG 692.31904
SEK 10.951712
SGD 1.479385
SHP 0.906006
SLE 25.623434
SLL 24175.951652
SOS 658.60081
SRD 44.79002
STD 23862.910451
SVC 10.083735
SYP 14990.017548
SZL 20.553008
THB 37.576224
TJS 11.415183
TMT 4.035185
TND 3.406175
TOP 2.700231
TRY 45.446328
TTD 7.824309
TWD 34.130176
TZS 2990.858572
UAH 47.885504
UGX 4143.27752
USD 1.15291
UYU 47.350729
UZS 14653.394815
VES 117.789336
VND 30069.623635
VUV 138.250391
WST 3.172554
XAF 653.477252
XAG 0.031009
XAU 0.00034
XCD 3.115797
XDR 0.815408
XOF 653.482899
XPF 119.331742
YER 280.099376
ZAR 20.660552
ZMK 10377.572927
ZMW 28.056534
ZWL 371.236568
  • CMSC

    0.0900

    22.314

    +0.4%

  • CMSD

    0.0250

    22.285

    +0.11%

  • RBGPF

    0.0000

    69.04

    0%

  • SCS

    0.0400

    10.74

    +0.37%

  • RELX

    0.0300

    53

    +0.06%

  • RIO

    -0.1400

    59.33

    -0.24%

  • GSK

    0.1300

    41.45

    +0.31%

  • NGG

    0.2700

    71.48

    +0.38%

  • BP

    0.1750

    30.4

    +0.58%

  • BTI

    0.7150

    48.215

    +1.48%

  • BCC

    0.7900

    91.02

    +0.87%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.13

    +0.15%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    9.85

    +0.1%

  • BCE

    -0.0600

    22.445

    -0.27%

  • RYCEF

    0.1000

    12

    +0.83%

  • AZN

    -0.1200

    73.71

    -0.16%

South Korean voters weigh political divide in partisan heartlands
South Korean voters weigh political divide in partisan heartlands / Photo: ANTHONY WALLACE - AFP

South Korean voters weigh political divide in partisan heartlands

The top contenders in South Korea's presidential vote Tuesday have framed their campaigns as an existential fight for the country's soul, and whoever wins will have to unite a sharply-polarised society.

Text size:

The election was triggered by ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol's disastrous declaration of martial law last year.

All major polls suggest victory for Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party, with Kim Moon-soo of the right-wing People Power Party (PPP) trailing far behind.

From the city of Daegu, for decades synonymous with conservatism, to Gwangju, the spiritual heartland of the left, AFP spoke to voters about where they stand and how the country's divide can be healed.

- Switching sides -

Lee Woo-hyun, an entertainment professional from Daegu and long-time conservative voter, told AFP the martial law fiasco "really shook" him.

"When I talk to my parents and other senior citizens, I can see they are turning away from the red," the 45-year-old said, referring to the symbolic colour of the PPP.

"Some might wonder how one incident could completely change my stance," Lee said.

"But for me, it did. A lot of people in their mid-40s feel the same way. They don't think what happened was right."

- Generational divide -

Ko Seung-ju, an electrical engineering major, sees growing cracks in Daegu's traditional conservative support base.

"Younger voters are no longer likely to blindly support the conservatives," Ko said.

The Yoon administration's decision to cut the national research and development budget has hit science and engineering students hard, he said.

"I really hope that gets reinstated."

- 'Balance is important' -

Kim Sung-gyun, 60, a former automotive industry worker, said he is undecided.

He disagreed with Yoon's attempt to impose martial law, which he described as creating "extreme chaos".

"People's lives are already difficult enough."

But he expressed reservations about one side gaining unchecked power -- pointing to the opposition's near two-thirds majority in parliament.

"Balance is important," he said.

He said he plans to vote for whoever he believes "puts the people first", regardless of traditional regional loyalties.

- The unshaken -

Shopowner Kim remains unfazed by the martial law bid.

"Declaring martial law was wrong, but nothing actually happened afterwards so they should just move on," said Kim, who declined to share his full name over privacy concerns.

For the 69-year-old, the local economy is the primary concern.

He said it was "wiped out" by the Covid-19 pandemic and has never recovered.

"It's impossible to keep a business afloat -- there's rent to pay, wages to cover and constant stress piling on."

- A vote for democracy -

Lee Gwi-nye, 79, a lifelong resident of Gwangju, voiced firm support for the Democratic Party and its candidate Lee.

"Democracy lets us live freely and comfortably," she said.

"But parties like the PPP, honestly, don't feel democratic at all."

To her, democracy means "being able to live and act freely, with peace of mind".

- 'History matters' -

Jung Se-yoon, 65, a retired teacher, said she doesn't believe in voting solely along party lines.

But she vividly recalled a bloody 1980 crackdown in Gwangju by South Korea's former military regime which left hundreds dead or missing.

"Those experiences still resonate. That's why I believe history matters," she said.

The upcoming election must serve as a "turning point".

"It will take far too long for the country to get back on its feet if we miss this chance -- and by then, we might fall too far behind," Jung said.

- Beyond party lines -

Haylee Lee, an English teacher, urged fellow Gwangju residents to "make a decision based on their own convictions" rather than fall into habitual partisan voting.

What matters most to her is how much effort presidential hopefuls make to listen to the concerns of ordinary people.

"Many politicians come from privileged backgrounds," she said.

"I wonder how well they actually listen to the voices of the middle class."

- Pressure as a centrist -

Park Yeon-ok, 64, who works at a social enterprise in Gwangju, told AFP she often faces pressure when she identifies as a centrist.

"Many people immediately ask: 'So you're not supporting the Democratic Party? Then are you backing the People Power Party?' That kind of reaction is pretty common," she said.

In this election, Park sees PPP candidate Kim as someone capable of bringing about unity.

"The divisions run deep," she said.

"I hope the next leader can help bridge those gaps."

E.Cerny--TPP