How Daegu's largest market became 'go-to spot' for conservative politicians

President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee are surrounded by people during their visit to Seomun Market in Daegu, April 1, to attend the ceremony commemorating the centennial of the open-air market. Courtesy of presidential office

Tactical voters give rock star treatment or cold shoulder to politicians as political circumstances change

By Kang Hyun-kyung

It all started in October 1997 when then ruling party's presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang visited Seomun Market, the largest open-air market located in the southeastern city of Daegu, for a campaign rally.

Back then, his political career was at risk, triggered first by his nose-diving support ratings following accusations that his two sons were draft dodgers and then by looming division within the ruling party.

Reading a strongly worded statement during a news conference, the judge-turned-politician accused then President Kim Young-sam of smear politics, manipulating behind the scenes and attempting to switch Lee with a new standard-bearer of the conservative camp.

Lee urged President Kim to stop trying to influence the ruling party. After confronting the president, Lee went to Daegu, the stronghold of the conservative party, for a campaign rally in the market.

There, he found conservative voters were on his side.

Lee received a hero's welcome from the merchants in the market. The market was crowded with cheering supporters. His visit to Seomun Market helped him consolidate conservative voters nationwide and his ratings rebounded quickly.

Since then, Daegu's Seomun Market has become a "go-to spot" for conservative politicians whenever their political careers are at risk or they want to consolidate support from conservative voters.

Politicians can test the waters to figure out whether public opinion is in their favor or not, while keenly observing how the crowds react to them. They learn about the feeling of public opinion not shown in numbers and public opinion surveys while interacting with the merchants. The merchants are politically active, avid voters who are knowledgeable about political news.

Like President Yoon Suk Yeol, some politicians go there for an "energy boost." The market is portrayed as a center for stalwart conservative voters, unwavering in their leanings.

Seomun Market is one of the rare places that makes President Yoon feel at home.

Still in the first year of his presidency, Yoon has visited the market three times. His latest visit came on April 1 when he attended a ceremony to commemorate the market's centennial celebrations.

"You remind me of my earlier commitment that the people should be the focus, goal and direction during all of my presidency," he said before the cheering crowd in the market. "My heart is pounding as you reminded me of why I joined politics, why I became president and for whom and what I should work for during my tenure as president."

Yoon met the merchants after he threw his ceremonial first pitch at the Korea Baseball Organization's opening game of the 2023 regular season between Samsung Lions and NC Dinos held in Samsung Lions' Park.

His Daegu visit made him vulnerable to criticism that he prioritized events held in the conservative People Power Party's stronghold city over another political event to commemorate the April 3 Uprising on Jeju. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea demanded Yoon answer why he missed the event to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic event that resulted in the massacre of over 20,000 people between 1945 and 1954.

The presidential office said Yoon participated in the anniversary event held last year when he was the president-elect. "We mulled whether the president should attend the same event every year or not, and concluded that this time it would be best for the prime minister to participate in the event on behalf of the president," the office said.

Lee Hoi-chang, who ran in the 2007 presidential election as an independent candidate, is hit by an egg thrown by a citizen during his campaign rally in Seomun Market, Daegu, in this 2007 photo. Korea Times file

Kang Woo-jin, a political science professor at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, said the market has become a popular place for political leaders because of its symbolic meaning.

"It's the place where they can meet working-class citizens," he told The Korea Times. "Politicians can position themselves as the ones fighting for the livelihoods of the lower-income families while visiting and interacting with the merchants and visitors in the market."

Kang said Seomun Market is an iconic location in the conservatives' stronghold. "Former President Park Geun-hye went there several times during her presidency. She received a hero's welcome whenever she visited the city, probably because of the residents' nostalgia for her father, President Park Chung-hee who was born in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province," he said.

Asking for anonymity, another political scientist said Yoon's Daegu visit seemed to be related to the general election to be held next year.

To win the election, he said the ruling camp must secure solid support from the stronghold voters. "Recent polls show that President Yoon's approval ratings in the conservative party's stronghold region fell slightly. This is not good news for the ruling party," he said.

Like voters in other stronghold regions, merchants of Seomun Market take a tactical approach to whom they support politically. They treat conservative politicians differently, depending on the political circumstances.

Lee received rock star treatment in 1997 when he challenged then President Kim and declared he would pursue his way against all odds. But when he visited again in 2007 as an independent candidate for the presidential election campaign, he was hit with eggs thrown by a man in the crowd. His bid to run in the presidential election drew concern from conservative voters because of a possible vote split in the conservative camp.

When then-President Park Geun-hye visited the market in 2016, her political career was in a precarious position amid protests calling for her impeachment, and the merchants accordingly gave her the cold shoulder.