DISPUTE OVER YOON'S TOURING OF NATION

[Anchor Lead]

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who is touring the nation, visited Gyeonggi-do Province on Monday. He came under fire for being escorted by candidates running for local government posts in the upcoming local elections. The Democratic Party leashed out its criticism by saying Yoon would be impeached if he was president now. Yoon's officials rebutted by saying the local election candidates are touring the nation with the president-elect to thank the public.

[Pkg]

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has visited the construction site of the GTX metropolitan line. After receiving a report on the project, he urged for safe construction. He also said he would speed up the urban development project in the nation's very first satellite cities in Gyeonggi-do Province. Yoon has been accused of walking back his promise after the presidential transition committee classified the project as a mid- to long-term task.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President-elect) : "I will make sure to keep my campaign pledge by pushing for urban development projects as quickly as possible."

The president-elect also toured Anyang, Suwon and Yongin to discuss local issues, including the relocation of the military airport. Yoon was continuously escorted by Kim Eun-hye, a PPP candidate for Gyeonggi-do Province governor, and some other candidates running for local government posts in the upcoming local elections. This is what they had to say about the reason they escorted Yoon.

[Soundbite] Kim Yong-nam(PPP candidate for Suwon Mayor) : "Did Yoon's officials ask you to escort him? As far as I know, it was the city government that organized the meeting."

The Democratic Party blasted Yoon for violating political neutrality.

[Soundbite] Yoon Ho-jung(DP Emergency Committee Co-chair) : "Instead of preparing to launch his administration, he is wasting time by touring the nation with local election candidates, ...posing for cameras and having meals with them."

DP candidate for Gyeonggi-do Province governor Kim Dong-yeon even mentioned impeachment and demanded that Yoon stop his blatant meddling in the local elections. Yoon's officials rebutted by saying the president-elect is touring the nation to reach out to the public and express gratitude for his election.

[Soundbite] Chang Je-won(Chief of Staff for President-elect) : "You're taking issue with this because you're afraid of public expectations for Yoon Suk-yeol as a president."

The PPP pushed back by saying President Moon Jae-in also toured the country ahead of local elections.