Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at the finance desk of The Korea Times, focuses primarily on economic policy and government agencies, mainly covering the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the National Tax Service and the Korea Customs Service. She previously covered financial authorities, including the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, and earlier worked on the political, city and business desks, reporting on a wide range of issues.
Parties falter on nomination reforms
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo speaks at a press conference in the National Assembly, Seoul, Monday. He said his New Political Vision Party will keep its campaign pledge to scrap the party nomination system in local elections, while the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party are committed to maintaining it. / Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Ahn turns up pressure over campaign pledges
By Jun Ji-hye
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) is backpedaling on its campaign pledge to scrap the practice of parties nominating candidates to stand for municipal mayors and councilors in local elections.
The ruling Saenuri Party, which pledged the same proposal in the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election, has already said it will retain its current nomination system.
The DP, which denounced the governing camp for disavowing its campaign pledge, is now saying that it will follow the ruling party’s move to introduce a bottom-up nomination system, under which ordinary people as well as party members can participate.
“We will bring an innovative nomination system ― public participating primary elections,” said Rep. Kim Han-gil, chairman of the DP, Sunday.
The DP’s move came amid concerns that it could be beaten by the governing camp in the June 4 local polls if it does not nominate candidates, while the latter does.
However, the failure to deliver on its pledge placed the DP in an awkward situation because it joined hands with independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo to pressure the ruling party to agree to abolish the nomination system until a few days ago.
Last Thursday, Kim and Ahn held a joint press conference where they criticized the ruling party for breaking its campaign pledge. At the time, they urged President Park Geun-hye to express her position at the earliest possible date.
During the presidential poll, then Saenuri Party candidate President Park Geun-hye, the DP’s Rep. Moon Jae-in and independent Ahn all promised to scrap the system, which is said to be the source of various forms of corruption in local politics.
Rep. Ahn’s New Political Vision Party said Monday that it will keep its promise of not using the nomination system, and lashed out at both rival parties.
“During the presidential election, voters cast their ballots for candidates from the ruling party and the DP because they believed that the candidates would fulfill their promises,” said Ahn. “Scrapping the nomination system was one of the most important pledges to reform the evil of the elections.”
The former doctor and software mogul added that if he breaks his promise, he would not be qualified to promote new politics.
Ahn’s new party is expected to be launched in March.
After Ahn’s conference, the DP, whose approval ratings are being threatened by Ahn’s party, said it will continue discussions before making a final decision.
Amending the Election Law is necessary to abolish the nomination system and apply the rule to all parties. The DP and Ahn, however, are not able to push for this amendment alone as long as the majority ruling party opposes it.
The Saenuri Party earlier argued that abolition of the nomination system could have unconstitutional outcomes, which in turn could bring about unexpected side effects.
It also argued that if the system disappears, political rookies and female politicians will experience difficulties entering the political arena. Critics questioned why it was then that the party suggested such a problematic proposal as a key election pledge.
Rep. Hwang Woo-yea, chairman of the governing camp, welcomed Kim’s latest proposal for the public participating in primary elections.
“Following Kim’s proposal, parties secured a bridgehead to introduce an open primary system. Parties now need to mull ways of legislating it into law,” said Hwang, Monday.
The ruling party has so far called for systemizing the open primary system, which allows ordinary citizens who have no party affiliation to cast votes for partisan candidates, within this month. The party said that this system could resolve problems involving the top-down nomination system.