Incumbent Gyeonggi Governor Leads Race
By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff Reporter
Incumbent Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) enjoys a 50-percent support rate in the country's most populous constituency of 11.5 million people, according to the latest polls.
The opposition forces, meanwhile, are deeply divided over the idea of fielding a joint candidate to challenge Kim in the June 2 local elections.
Political observers say liberal camps have little chance of winning the gubernatorial race unless they band together. There have been few signs of compromise among opposition parties over the ticket to run for one of the country's most coveted posts.
Former Health and Welfare Minister Rhyu Si-min, who enjoys the second highest support rate at 22 percent, claims that he is the only candidate capable of defeating Kim.
Rhyu belongs to the minor opposition People's Participation Party (PPP) launched in January by supporters of the late President Roh Moo-hyun.
"I'm aware that a hopeful of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has prepared for the race for more than a year and the other DP aspirant, several months," Rhyu said. "But a number of DP lawmakers have pointed out that the two are no match for Kim."
Reps. Kim Jin-pyo and Lee Jong-kul of the DP have declared their bids for the governorship, but lag considerably behind Rhyu in the pre-election contest with their combined support rate hovering at around 11 percent.
However, the DP is hesitant to support Rhyu as the largest opposition party, believing that the Gyeonggi governor is too important a post to yield to a minor party.
Rep. Kim of the DP has also demanded that the PPP merge with his party as a precondition for Rhyu to compete for the opposition camp's ticket for the governor position.
Chairman Chung Sye-kyun of the DP also said last week that minor opposition parties should not make excessive demands for the June local elections, hinting that he is opposed to Rhyu's running in the election.
"We used to live under the same roof and the policies pursued by the two parties show no particular differences," Chung said in a television debate.
Shim Sang-jung, former chairwoman of the minor opposition New Progressive Party (NPP), has also declared her bid for the governor's race. Currently, she enjoys a support rate of some five percent.