Chung Dong-young
Ex-unification minister |
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Chung Dong-young, the Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate in the 2007 election, returned to Seoul, Sunday, to run in the April 29 National Assembly by-elections after wrapping up an eight-month stay in the United States.
The former unification minister's home-coming has put DP Chairman Chung Sye-kyun in a complex situation, because party leaders have sent clear signals of their apparent veto of his running in the elections on the DP ticket on several occasions.
DP leaders sent the message after Chung, 56, hinted his running in the by-election in a district in Jeonju at a news conference held in Washington, D.C.
Chung said at the time he would restart his political career in his political hometown, Jeonju.
Despite this opposition, it could be difficult for the DP chairman to eliminate him in the party's selection of candidates to run in the elections, as polls find many supporters want him to return to politics.
The latest Realmeter poll of DP supporters shows that 55.5 percent of respondents support Chung running in the upcoming election on the DP ticket ― only 28.4 percent oppose it.
The DP chairman will sit down one-on-one with the former presidential candidate, Monday. Sources said Chung will make his decision public after the meeting.
Party insiders speculate that the DP chairman may propose that Chung consider switching his district to the swing district of Bupyeong, instead of the party's stronghold, in the closed-door meeting.
They also said that Chung may insist on running in Jeonju as an independent if he is not chosen as the DP candidate.
Rep. Choe Kyoo-sik of the DP, who supported Chung's return to politics in the April elections, dismissed the two probabilities.
``It does not make sense for the party leader to advise Chung to consider running in the Bupyeong district in Incheon,'' said Choe.
He continued, ``Party leaders oppose Chung's bid to become a lawmaker because his running in the stronghold region could have a negative effect on public opinion in swing districts.''
Rep. Choe insisted the DP would gain if Chung runs in the elections on the DP ticket.
Asked if he would consider running in Bupyeong, Chung told reporters before leaving Washington that he would think hard about the option during his journey to Seoul.
Those who oppose Chung's return to politics, meanwhile, contended that he has no compelling case to justify his bid in the elections as he lost the two previous elections ― the 2007 presidential poll and the National Assembly elections last year ― by big margins.
Five parliamentary seats are up for grabs in the by-elections ― two in Jeonju, one in Incheon, one in Gyeongju and one in Ulsan.
The DP has called on voters to support its candidates if they genuinely want to stop President Lee Myung-bak's go-it-alone style of managing the economy.
The party plans to complete the selections of candidates to run in the elections by April 2.
hkang@koreatimes.co.kr
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